Life Won't Last Forever
by NCIS Obsession
Summary: The team hears a testimonial from a suspect that rattles them to the bones. Are they letting life pass by without making the most of it? Could they completely miss their chances at love? How do Tony and Ziva get together? What is Gibbs' secret? How do Tim and Abby get together? Read to find out! Tiva/McAbby with hints of past Jibbs. Takes place season 9 or so.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! This is a Tiva / McAbby Fanfiction. It is going to begin a little like a casefic, but go into Tiva and McAbby for the most part.**

**If you don't know, Tiva is the ship name of Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David and McAbby is the ship name for Timothy McGee and Abigail Sciuto.**

**I am very excited to begin my first Tiva and McAbby story, so I hope it goes well. I really hope you like it. (PS: For the sake of my story, Ziva is still there and Bishop is not)**

**Anyway, this is a story about how Tony and Ziva get together, and how Abby and McGee get together. I have read many of them, but they seem unrealistic or OOC. I am going to try to stay in character, so tell me how I am doing.**

**I have decided to post this chapter now so you can read it and tell me what you think of the story. I just want to test how it does with you guys before I get too far into it. The rest will be a while till it is ready and then I will post it.**

**Be sure to add me and this story to your favorites or follows so you'll get updates when I post chapters**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS, but that would be extremely cool.**

**Here we go…**

Life Won't Last Forever: Chapter 1- All Shook Up

A pretty young lady sat in interrogation. She was quiet and nervous looking while she waited for Gibbs to enter. Tony, Ziva, and McGee stood in the back room watching through the one way mirror. The door suddenly clicked open and Gibbs walked in. The woman was a bit jumpy and couldn't sit still. Upon Gibbs' entering, she stood up.

"Please, Sir. Why am I here?"

"You'll know in a second. Please sit down." She sighed nervously and sat down like she was told.

"Miss Andersen," Gibbs began as he opened his case file. "One of your coworkers told us that you were close to Mr. Jameson." She nodded.

"Yes, that is true."

"Would you care to elaborate the status of your relationship?" She turned her head sideways, then nodded. Tears were filling her eyes. "I'll do anything if it helps you find whoever killed Mason." She nodded before beginning, "We worked together… We have for six years now." Gibbs scribbled in his notebook as she talked.

"And your _out of work_ relationship?" Gibbs questioned.

"We are… were good friends. Sometimes we'd go to a bar or maybe a movie… I'm sorry." She tried to hold back sobs that were fighting to escape her. She took a deep breath before continuing. "We liked to tease each other. Sometimes he'd flirt, and sometimes I'd flirt back." Gibbs pulled out a picture of the victim out of the folder and slid it to Miss Andersen. Her breathing shuddered as she stared down at the gruesome photo. Tears started to fall down her cheeks. Gibbs watched with his poker face remaining unmoved as the woman broke down in front of him. Either she was about to confess, or they had the wrong suspect and their relationship was more than meets the eye. "I- I never got to tell him…" She said between sobs."

"Tell him what Miss Andersen?"

"That I loved him." She whispered. Gibbs stood from his chair, thanked Miss Andersen, and left the room. As Gibbs left, the 3 agents from the observation room returned to the hallway with him.

"Well, it's definitely not her," Tony observed.

"Yeah, I know…" Gibbs agreed. "David, take Miss Andersen to the conference room and assure her we're going to find whoever did this. McGee, call Abby, Ducky, and Palmer and tell them to meet us in the bullpen for briefing. DiNozzo, Start looking for a connection between Petty Officer Jameson and anyone at the recruitment office or people that have been there in the last 3 days. Go, NOW!"

Everyone scrambled to their duties and Gibbs sat down at his desk. He rubbed his hands over his face and thought. "You okay boss?" Tony asked. Gibbs looked up and replied, "Yeah, fine." Tony nodded and returned to his research. Soon the whole team plus the M.E, assistant, and Forensic Scientist were gathered in the bullpen, standing in front of the TV monitor. "McGee," Gibbs called as he tossed the remote to the Probie. McGee started, "Right. Meet Petty Officer Jameson. Age 26, born in D.C., and grew up as a Navy Child. His father, Lieutenant Commander Michael Jameson, worked at Quantico and was highly decorated." McGee continued with his briefing. He explained the Petty Officer and Miss Andersen's relationship, and who they've ruled out as suspects."

Once he was done, the team was silent. "Get to work." Gibbs broke the silence. Ziva went to the lab with Abby to sort through the evidence, Tony and McGee stayed to work on their computers, and the Medical Examiners went to start the autopsy.

Ziva and Abby dug through the boxes of evidence while listening to some bizarre music, and Abby sipping Caf-Pow. Suddenly, Abby stopped working and turned toward Ziva. "Hey." Ziva turned.

"Yes, Abby?"

"Can we talk?" Abby turned off her music and sat down. Ziva noticed her upset look. "Sure, anytime."

"Listen. We… don't know when we're gonna… you know… gonna—" Abby looked pained as she tried to say the word. "Die?" Ziva finished.

"Yeah."

"What about it Abby, what made you think of that?" Ziva questioned.

"It's just… That woman… In interrogation… She reminds me of someone, and, it really freaks me out."

"She 'freaks you out'? Why?"

"She reminds me of you, okay Ziva?" Abby bursts out.

"Me?" Ziva clarified. "How does that girly, nervous woman remind you of me?"

"Tony." Abby said simply. Ziva sighed. "Her relationship with that petty officer is a lot like you and Tony." Abby continued. Ziva was quiet. Finally she said, "I see."

"Ziva, you and Tony have a super dangerous job. You never know when you will say your last words! You can't let things go unsaid."

"I do not have anything to say to Tony."

"Yes you do."

"Do not"

"Do too."

"I am not doing this Abby." Ziva concluded.

Abby begged. "You have to! What if he never knows?" Ziva sighed. She knew she was right, but she couldn't do it. It was too big a risk. "And what about you?" Ziva asked Abby. The tables had turned.

"Me?"

"You and McGee."

"That was a long time ago, it doesn't count," Abby declared.

"I do not think so, Abby," Ziva responded.

"Okay, let's just pretend we never had this conversation," Abby said.

"Fine by me," Ziva agreed. Then the two women picked up on their work.

**That's it for now. I'm not sure how long I'll make this story, but we'll see.**

**Anyway. I need to know how I'm doing. Tell me if I am staying in character, if you have a question, etc… You can even PM me if you have an idea for a date they will go on, other events, or whatever you'd like.**

**I accept constructive criticism! It helps me learn and fix mistakes that I might make.**

**(It will be a while. I am writing most of it before I post more chapters, that way you won't have to wait weeks in between chapters)**

**Additionally, I wrote a NCIS secret Santa story at Christmas and I encourage you to check it out. I think it turned out rather well. (It's Called NCISanta)**

**Now I'll stop rambling. Thanks so much guys!**

**Till next time!**

**~NCIS Obsession**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm excited for chapter 2! I realized that chapter one isn't much of an introduction to what the story is about, so I've decided to post chapter 2 so you can get a feel for what it's like. Once again, I hope you like it. This is where my train of thought starts to make sense.**

**Disclaimer: I no own NCIS **

Life Won't Last Forever: Chapter 2- Repealed

McGee, DiNozzo, and Gibbs sat in their desks silently working on their research. Gibbs could tell that everyone was rattled by the interrogation that had taken place. He himself could barely focus. The image of Jenny Shepard flashed through his mind and he had to shake it off so he could get some work done. Since poor Miss Andersen described her relationship with the Petty Officer in autopsy, he had called into question his own rule: #12. He had thought about revoking it for some time now. He knew it was the only thing in the way of his own team, but he had his reasons for creating it in the first place. His relationship with Jenny was wonderful. She was probably the only person who could have ever filled the void that Shannon had left, but she was gone. So many things he could have said to her, but he'd never get the chance. So to save others that same pain, he had formed a rule against dating a coworker. You couldn't get too attached, or it would inevitably bite you in the butt someday.

After going back and forth for a while, the jury that was Gibbs' mind decided on a verdict. The rule would stay in place. It was the best for everyone, and his initial judgment was correct. It had to stay, period.

A few weeks went by and the team wrapped up their case. Their productivity was low and they weren't their usual selves, making the case last longer than expected. Tony would barely talk to Ziva and vice versa. McGee wouldn't willingly step foot in Abby's lab, and Abby worked slower and quieter when McGee was present. Gibbs noticed the divide in his team and knew what was causing it. He had to do something before he lost his whole team.

Late on a Saturday night Gibbs called his team plus Abby to his home for an urgent meeting. This was getting ridiculous. All he was doing was delaying the inevitable, and it wasn't doing his team any good. Everyone was soon seated in his 'cozy' living room, attempting to predict the cause of this meeting. Gibbs interrupted their speculating and got right to the point.

"Listen up, you're all acting like idiots, but it's mostly my fault. I'm sorry." A couple of confused glances were shared. Had he just broken his rule number 6? "I know my rules are getting in the way of your personal lives, but now it's affecting our work. Just tell each other. You have my blessing." Gibbs finished and left toward his basement, pausing before he got to the steps. "And remember—Rule 8." He then descended to let them have their private conversations. Everyone was too surprised to speak.

There was an awkward silence until Ziva finally started them off. "Tony, may I speak to you in the kitchen, please?" She asked quietly. He nodded and Abby and Tim were the only ones left seated on the sofa.

McGee was blushing an impossible hue and fumbling for his words. Abby smiled nervously. "Just say it, McGee," she said kindly. McGee took a deep breath. "Abby; When you broke up with me all those years ago, I was upset. I still loved you."

"I know. I'm sorry." Abby apologized.

"The thing is… I- I still like- _love_ you Abby." He finished. He turned away from her so he wouldn't have to see her pitying expression. When he did look, she wasn't pitying, but confused. "You mean, since then you've always loved me back?" She clarified.

"Loved me back? You love me too?" McGee asked happily. Abby nodded, causing her pigtails to bounce. Both were smiling. "I didn't know you felt the same way!" McGee said feeling very relieved. "I couldn't tell you because of Rule 12," said Tim.

"Well now that's not a problem anymore," Abby said, hinting to McGee as to what he should say.

"Abs, I love you," McGee finally said.

"I love you too, Timmy!" Abby said through tears. They leaned in for a soft kiss. Tim put his arm around Abby and they sat and talked about everything they've been wanting to say to each other.

"Do you want to give it another chance Timmy?

"More than anything," He said as they kissed again.

"You know, I just realized we could have used rule 18 against him." Abby said.

"Rule 18?" McGee asked, "It's better to seek forgiveness than to ask permission!"

"That's the one!" Abby confirmed. "We could've dated behind his back, then asked for forgiveness."

"Why didn't we do that?!" McGee mentally slapped himself. He could find loopholes in laws, computers, anything. Somehow he had missed that one.

"Abby, now that we're dating again, you've got to drop that whole 2 month thing, okay?"

Abby looked as if she were deeply pondering, "Well, okay." She said after a minute.

Tim smiled in return. His dreams were finally coming true. Who knew Gibbs could play matchmaker?

Tony and Ziva stood across from each other in the kitchen. "Tony," Ziva started, with her face blushing. She pushed a strand of hair out of her face and continued. "This is not easy to tell you. It is very complicated." Tony stared into her chocolate eyes and stepped closer to her. "I know," he said. He would give her time to continue, he knew it was difficult for her to say.

Neither could deny the feelings they had for the other, but Rule 12 was an invisible force capable of pulling apart two super glued objects. Now that it-by some miracle- had been revoked, an opportunity showed itself. Tony had been waiting for this day for years. For a while, he had feared it would never come and now bits of doubt covered Tony. He wasn't sure if she would turn him down, or fully confess. Ziva noticed the breath Tony was holding in and decided to just tell him.

She was about to start, but found herself unable to speak. Tony put his hand on her cheek, and gently moved her face closer to his. They stared into each other's teary eyes, silently confessing their love for each other. They gave in to the magnetic pull between them and their lips finally touched in a kind, gentle, loving kiss. Tony and Ziva stood with their arms wrapped around each other and Ziva rested her head on Tony's shoulder. "Tony, I love you," The words finally escaped her. "I love you, Ziva," Tony replied. Tears streamed from Ziva's eyes. Tony hugged her tight, never wanting to let go. At last, she was his and he could not lose her. This was the best night of his life.

**There you have it! They've finally confessed! I really need to know how I did. I hope it was believable and in Character. Please review and tell me! The rest will be up in quite a while. Please review so I can continue. I still have to write a lot. Sorry. Anyway, thanks for the reviews I've received so far. Keep 'em coming!**

**~NCIS Obsession**


	3. Chapter 3

**I've been dying inside from withholding more chapters of this story, so I finally caved and decided to post another chapter. I'll probably post another tomorrow.**

**So far, I have written 9 chapters of this story, and I'm almost to chapter 10. Writers block seems to find picking on me especially funny. If you have any ideas I would love to hear them.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**Ready for chapter 3!**

**Disclaimer: NCIS is not mine**

Life Won't Last Forever: Chapter 3-

Ziva was amazed at how amazing it felt to finally say those three simple words. She had never thought it would be so relieving. She stood hand in hand with Tony on the way to their first date. They had settled for the classic dinner because Ziva did not want to rush their relationship. Tony was fine with going slow, anything was faster than not moving at all. Finally they arrived at the restaurant. Tony and Ziva both ordered. They were still getting used to the change in their relationship status. It was so surreal!

"I wonder what made Gibbs take back rule 12," Tony pondered.

"It must be something to do with our previous case," Ziva offered. Tony nodded, thinking back to the grieving woman in interrogation.

"I'm glad Gibbs changed his mind." Tony said while scooting closer to Ziva. As the gap between them closed up, Ziva's heart began to pound faster.

"I agree," said Ziva. Tony gave her a kiss on the cheek just as the server brought out their food. She blushed. Ziva wasn't really used to Tony kissing her, and she wasn't sure if she ever would be! Public displays of affection weren't really her thing, but being with Tony made her forget about it. She loved him and she didn't care who knew.

Abby and Tim were excited to pick up on dating. They were calling it their second first date. Abby requested to see a scary movie, and McGee regretfully agreed. He had heard that horror movies were great for going on a date, and the girl would seek comfort in your arms. He didn't take into consideration that he was dating Abby, not some girly girl. He'd never actually been to a scary movie, but he _had_ seen the Lord of the Rings, and the Orcs were pretty scary, right?

They settled into their seats with a fresh bag of popcorn and a soda to share. Abby wanted a Caf-Pow, but McGee couldn't handle the caffeine, so they compromised. They were good at making decisions together. Slowly, the lights dimmed and the movie started. It opened to a very bloody and gory scene. Even though McGee's job involved visiting extremely bloody crime scenes, this much blood made him sick. He fought back nausea, and when Abby looked at him worriedly, he faked a smile and did a thumbs up sign. She smiled, not quite convinced, and turned back to the movie.

McGee only half watched. He was mostly staring at Abby and marveling at how beautiful she was. He could not believe Gibbs' change of heart. He was happier than he had ever been. During a particularly scary moment in the movie, Tim put his arm around Abby, more for his own comfort than hers. He felt comfortable with her in this position. She didn't seem to mind either. When she felt his arm lay gently on her shoulders, she relaxed. She had been so nervous about starting dating Tim again, but she was so excited to finally be able to have him for her own, rather than watching him date several girls he doesn't really care about. In response to his loving gesture, Abby rested her head on McGee's shoulder. They both looked at each other, then leaned in for a kiss. Just when their lips were about to touch, a young kid with spiky hair sitting behind them leaned forward and whispered loudly, _"HEY, this is a horror movie, not a romance!" _Abby quickly retorted, "I think you're in the wrong theater kid, the Barney movie is next door!" At that he stuck out his tongue, leaned back, and shut up. Abby and McGee high-fived and went back to watching the movie.

The next day was a Monday. They went in to work, just a boring day of paperwork ahead of them. Ziva arrived first and sat down at her desk. "David, MTAC," Vance said. Ziva looked up at the catwalk and made her way to the door. Once she had entered she saw an unwelcome face on the screen. Her father, Eli David. She did not come fully inside the room, but rather lingered near the door. "What do you want, Abba?" She asked.

"I am merely calling to check on my favorite daughter," He explained.

"Please, Abba. Why are you really calling?" Ziva responded impatiently, not even looking him in the eyes.

"I have heard things about you," he said simply.

"From whom?"

"I have my sources, you know that."

"Abba, I am old enough to decide who I want to be with. I choose Tony. You can stay out of it." Ziva ordered.

"Ah, so Tony is the boy they told me about."

"He is a man, Father, not a boy. And you will stop spying on me or I will never speak to you again. Am I clear?" Ziva warned. Eli looked hurt, but she knew it was just part of his game. Make you feel guilty, then you get too close, then you get hurt. She wasn't falling for it this time. "Does Special Agent Gibbs approve of this?" Eli asked.

"Yes _Eli_, he is the one that helped us get together," Ziva said matter-of-factly. The Mossad director looked astonished. "I love Tony and it is _my_ choice. Goodbye, Eli." Vance signaled for the technicians to end the call. The multicolored default screen returned and Ziva left MTAC with an emotionless face.

When she returned to her desk, Tony was waiting. "Good morning Zee," He greeted happily.

"Not now Tony," She waved him off. He could tell that whatever had happened in MTAC she did not want to talk about yet. "How about we talk over lunch?" He asked and she agreed.

Just then Tim walked into the bullpen. "You look a little McQueasy, McTardy!" Tony remarked as the younger agent sat down and sipped his coffee. "Abby and I saw the new horror movie last night…" McGee explained.

"Aww, couldn't handle the gore, could you Probie?" Tony egged him on.

"Actually Tony, I couldn't. It was an unrealistic amount of blood and entrails, and it gave me nightmares all night." Tim retorted as he booted up his computers.

"You have sacks under your eyes," Ziva commented.

"Bags," Tony corrected. Ziva rolled her eyes, "Whatever."

"Are they really that bad?" McGee asked concerned. He rubbed his face and decided to go to the bathroom to check. Tony followed right behind him. When Tony opened the door, poor McGee was splashing his face with cold water to wake himself up. "So, McGee… Did you and Abby kiss last night?"

"Kiss? It was a first date!" McGee replied.

"Not really…" Tony said, "Well did you?"

McGee sighed and then answered, "We were about to, but an annoying kid interrupted us." He looked upset.

"You'll get 'em next time," Tony reassured.

"Did you and Ziva kiss?" McGee asked in return. Just then, Ziva walked into the men's room so she wouldn't be left out of their conversation.

"Yeah, Probie," Tony replied cockily, and then McGee noticed Ziva.

"It went like this," she said as she pulled Tony closer to her, then they kissed for a long time, just to make McGee uncomfortable. McGee looked away and his cheeks turned pink. This would take a while to get used to.

**I couldn't resist putting Eli David in. I know he's dead, but we'll say this was set a few seasons ago, before everyone's family died.**

**Please Review, I just really hope I'm doing okay. I need to know so I can fix things! More to come.**

**Till next time!**

**~NCIS Obsession**


	4. Chapter 4

**Yesterday was the first day I haven't watched NCIS in at least a month, since I got a few seasons on DVD to keep me occupied. I have currently seen seasons 1, 2, 3, most of 4, some of 5, some of 6, some of 7, most of 8, all of 9, 10, 11, and 12. Wow. I can't tell you how much I love it.**

**Anyway, time for that conversation Ziva promised Tony in the last chapter.**

**Disclaimer: NCIS is from the mind of a genius. No, not me… another genius.**

Life Won't Last Forever: Chapter 4- Lunch Break

When Ziva arrived in the break room, she saw Tony sitting with an "elaborate" arrangement set up. He had lit some half melted candles he had found, and placed some delivery Chinese food on paper plates with plastic utensils. It was romantic in its own way.

She sat down and greeted Tony. "What is all of this?" She asked, bewildered.

"Lunch!" He replied. She giggled—well, as much of a giggle as could come from Ziva—and she sat down across from Tony. After a few minutes of eating in silence, Tony decided to address the elephant in the room. "Zee, listen; about your dad…"

"There is nothing to say about my father!" Ziva snapped, angrily slamming her fork on the table. She looked him in the eyes and their lunch was momentarily interrupted. Tony decided to play it safe and go easy on her rather than shout back. He walked around the table and stood behind Ziva who sat still. She did not want to speak to Tony at the moment.

Tony began to massage Ziva on the shoulders. Her tightened muscles relaxed a bit under his gentle, caring touch. "You can talk to me, remember Ziva?" Tony encouraged quietly.

"I know…" Ziva replied in a whisper. Tony reached for Ziva's hands and pulled her up so she was standing in front of him. He tousled her hair, which made her smile a little. Tony pulled Ziva in for a hug. She rested her chin on his shoulder and thought about what had happened with her father.

"I am alright, Tony," Ziva finally said. The couple sat down leaning against the wall near the vending machines. "Tell me what happened," said Tony, and Ziva leaned against him for support.

"He has been spying on me, on us," she explained. Tony nodded, he wouldn't put it past Eli David to do such a thing. "So, what does Daddy David have to say about our relationship?"

"Not much."

"He doesn't like me does he?" Tony asked for confirmation.

"He never has."

"True, but now he has no choice," Tony joked.

"I have told my father that I am done dealing with him, and he will not bother us again," Ziva reported.

"That's good, I guess."

"It is," Ziva agreed. She and Tony kissed lightly just as Gibbs walked through the break room with a fresh cup of coffee.

"For goodness sake, not in the office you two," Gibbs said with slight disgust."

"We're not in the office, we're in the break room," Tony responded sarcastically. At this Gibbs turned around, walked back to Tony, slapped him in the head, and then warned him, "Don't talk back to me, DiNozzo!"

McGee went down to Abby's lab, since he had nothing better to do. He, being the hard working agent his is, had already finished his paperwork, leaving with him with lots of time to kill. A note on Abby's door read, _Be back soon, went to autopsy._ McGee got back in the elevator and pressed the button to go down one level.

Ironically, Ducky was in the middle of an autopsy for another team when the still nauseous McGee walked in. Abby noticed his reaction to the scene as he entered, and chuckled to herself.

"Hey McGee! Look at this brain!" Abby held up a swollen brain, making McGee fight back the urge to vomit. "Abby, please…" McGee begged, closing his eyes.

"I'm just messing with you," Abby said, "Wanna go get lunch?"

"Sure." Abby took off her scrubs and the mask she was wearing, and walked hand in hand with Tim out of autopsy.

"Sorry about last night," Abby said as the elevator doors opened.

"Its fine, you'd think I'd be used to gore by now."

"To make it up to you, we could do something you want to do tonight," she suggested.

"Abs, you don't have to do that," McGee said, smiling.

"No, Timmy. I want to!" She smiled back, hugging him around the waist. She'd do anything for him.

"Well, alright. Meet me at my place at 8:00. I've got an idea."

"Okay…" Abby agreed, not quite sure what she had gotten herself into.

Almost exactly at 8:00, Abby arrived at McGee's apartment. She heard loud, violent, banging and shooting noises coming from inside, so she grabbed her pepper spray just in case. When she opened the door, she saw her boyfriend standing in his living area wearing a cyber-helmet and headphones, and holding a fake sword and waving it around.

"Abby!" McGee greeted happily. He removed his gear and rushed over to give her a kiss. "I'm glad you came."

"So am I… I think…" Abby said uncertainly.

"Come on," Tim pulled her over so they were both standing in front of the TV screen.

"Hey guys, I'm back!" McGee said to his gaming friends.

"Dude, where'd you go?" Asked a voice on the TV.

"My girlfriend just arrived," McGee explained.

"Ha, good one Elf Lord," another voice said. Abby stifled laughter, and poor Tim was embarrassed from having his gaming title used in front of Abby.

"I'm serious guys, stop it," he demanded, frustrated. "Abby, say hello."

"Hi, I'm real, I promise," Abby said cheerfully.

"Whoa!" one gamer exclaimed. "Sorry we didn't believe you Elf Lord!"

"Guys, uh…" McGee began. "Don't call me Elf Lord while Abby is here." The tips of his ears turned a bright pink.

"It's okay," Abby stepped in, "I like it. I need a nerdy name too!"

McGee didn't know if he should be offended, or honored, but he thought hard for a name for his girlfriend. Finally, he decided.

"Okay, how about Gothic Princess?"

"I LOVE IT!" Abby shouted excitedly.

"Cool name," a gamer agreed.

"Okay, so how do I play?" asked Abby. McGee showed her the controls, and soon they were fighting off angry monsters and dragons that breathed fire.

"Elf Lord, look out! On your left!" Abby warned. McGee's elf character dodged.

"Thanks Abs- I mean Gothic Princess." The two characters made their way up some spiraling stone stairs.

"You're really good at this Abby, are you sure you haven't played before?"

"I've played something like it, but it was on the computer," Abby answered while slashing a giant mutant spider.

"We're almost to the lookout tower. There we can conquer the kingdom, but we'll have to defeat the boss first." McGee explained. They stepped cautiously onto the roof of the castle, scanning the area for attackers. Just then, a giant spike impaled the Elf Lord.

"NoOoOoOoO!" Abby shrieked. "Why?!"

"Dang it," McGee said, setting down his sword. "That's the 4th time I've lost that level. That spike came out of nowhere."

"Come on, we can do it. Let's try again." Abby's pep talk gave Tim a newfound sense of determination.

"Okay, let's do this." He picked up his weapon and the two began their journey out of the abyss of the castle dungeon.

**Tell me what you thought in a precious review! I hope you like it. More to come!**

**~NCISObsession**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5- **

Five hours, 3 Caf-Pows, and 6 tries later, Elf Lord and Gothic Princess returned from their quest triumphantly.

"YES!" Abby said excitedly. Way too excited for two in the morning. "We did it! She and McGee took off their battle gear and high fived.

"Did you like the game?" McGee asked. On the screen, the characters were receiving their awards and treasure.

"Did I? When can we play again?" Abby asked. McGee admired her never ending energy, and he smiled.

"Not now, I'm exhausted," he replied, "I barely slept last night, and it's already two."

"Oh my gosh! It's been 5 hours? We have work tomorrow, I'd better go." Abby started toward the door.

"Goodnight Elf Lord," said Abby.

"I love you Gothic Princess." Abby smiled and kissed Tim without hesitation, and he kissed her. She adored that Tim finally had the courage to tell her that he loved her. "I love you too. See you tomorrow." McGee closed the door after Abby, and watched her return to her car, to make sure she was safe.

Tony stepped out of the elevator to have a bag thrown into his gut, knocking the wind out of him. "Come on, DiNozzo," Gibbs said, pressing a button on the elevator, "Dead petty officer at Norfolk."

"Coming boss," Tony turned around and rubbed his abdomen. Ziva was already waiting for them.

"McGee," Gibbs called impatiently.

"Coming boss, I just had to grab a few things. Tim made it to the elevator just in time before the doors closed.

At the crime scene, McGee was interviewing witnesses while Ziva searched for the missing murder weapon and Tony took photos.

"A man in a grey hoodie and a red ball cap came to my door to ask me to buy some watches. They looked stolen, so I turned him down," a frightened looking neighbor explained. "That's when he pulled out the gun. Blake, err… your petty officer, had just returned home and he saw me being threatened, so he ran over to help."

"What happened then?" Gibbs questioned, but the lady seemed too shaken up to answer. "It's okay Ma'am, you're safe now. We need you to tell us what happened after Petty Officer Wallace came to help." She nodded. "Well then Blake jumped on him from the back, and the gun in the criminal's hand went off. It hit the wall behind me, missing me by less than a foot."

"Could you show where it went to us?" The woman led Tony and Gibbs to a rather nasty hole in the wall. "DiNozzo, retrieve the bullet and bag and tag it."

"On it Boss."

"What happened to Blake Wallace?" said Gibbs.

"The man elbowed him hard in the stomach, which threw him off. I went to call 911, and that's when I heard a shot. I ran to see what had happened, but he was already dead, and the murderer had disappeared. I wish I could have done something to help." She wiped away a tear.

"Anything else ma'am?" Gibbs asked.

"Not that I can think of. I just want this man punished for what he did. Blake didn't deserve this. He was a hero. Now he looks so helpless." She gazed sadly at the body on the pavement.

"If you think of anything, don't hesitate to call." Gibbs handed her a business card.

"There is one thing…" She said, stopping Gibbs in his tracks. He looked at her inquisitively, waiting for her to continue. "I think I could describe the murderer's appearance, I got a pretty good look at him."

Gibbs nodded and motioned for her to follow him, "Then if you don't mind, would you come to NCIS and describe him for our forensic scientist. She'll create a digital rendering of him, so we can I.D. him.

"Yeah, sure. Let me just grab a few things." She headed off into the living room, leaving Gibbs standing in the entryway. Suddenly, a gunshot sounded throughout the block. Agent Gibbs ran to the living room to make sure the witness was okay. They almost collided on their way to find each other.

"Are you okay?" Gibbs asked frantically, gun drawn.

"I'm fine, it came from across the street." She grabbed a bag and followed Gibbs out the door.

"NO!" Gibbs ordered. "You stay HERE!"

"I'm just supposed to sit here waiting for the killer to come back?" She screamed in disbelief. Gibbs sighed in exasperation. "AGENT MCGEE! PROTECT MS. WILLIAMS, NOW." He was met with silence, except for emergency sirens sounding and panicked screaming in the neighborhood. "MCGEE!" He yelled again. Tony ran up to the house, blood staining his suit. "Boss, it's Tim," he said, using his friend's first name.

Gibbs followed Tony to McGee, who was lying in a pool of his own blood. Ziva was pressing her jacket to his wound, trying to stop the blood flow. Gibbs saw Tim mouthing words, trying to get them to escape his mouth, but the pain was unbearable. He fumbled with his fingers, attempting to move them and his arm to hand a shiny object to someone. Gibbs knelt closer, his ear next to McGee's.

"Abby," he heard Tim breathe. Gibbs looked at the object in his agent's hand. A blood-stained ring with a shiny black band and a beautiful diamond sitting on top. Gibbs pushed Tim's hand away.

"Oh no," he said, "I'm not giving this to her, that's for you to do later." McGee insisted, "I- won't- make it- Gibbs…" Every breath was labored and painful, his chest rising and falling as if in spasms. Tony and Ziva looked at each other with tears in their eyes, not knowing what to say.

"Hang in there Probie," Tony said encouragingly as the paramedics loaded Tim onto a gurney. "You're gonna make it." The doors to the ambulance slammed shut, and the vehicle pulled away, sirens blaring. The team was left behind, feeling crumpled and afraid.

"There!" Ziva said quietly. Everyone turned to look where her gaze was leading. Before they knew it, she was running across lawns and jumping picket fences. "David! Stop!" Gibbs yelled.

"NO, that's our guy! Ziva yelled in return, not fazing from her mission. She had her gun in hand, ready to shoot. She suddenly stopped and aimed to kill when Tony ran up behind her. He saw the fugitive pull out his gun, and aim at Ziva. Tony tackled her, just before a bullet whizzed past the location that she had been standing only a moment before.

"I can't lose you too," Tony said, still lying on top of her. He helped Ziva up, and they were out of breath from all of the running.

"What the heck were you thinking?" Gibbs yelled.

"If I could have gotten just a little bit closer—"

"NO!" Gibbs screamed, "Don't EVER do that again. I've already got one agent in the hospital, I need you to help get this guy. I can't have you injured or killed too."

"I am sorry," Ziva apologized, wiping the dirt from her brow.

"_Never_ apologize David." She nodded, remembering the rule, but that couldn't stop her from the guilt that she was feeling.

A red 1931 Ford Coupe pulled up and came to a screeching halt next to the crime scene. A very emotional Abby came running out of the car. "Where's Timmy, where's Timmy, where's Timmy, where's Timmy?" she repeated over and over, tears running down her cheeks. Gibbs pulled her into a hug, rocking her back and forth as she sobbed into his shirt. "Why?" She cried, staring at the massive puddle of blood on the sidewalk next to her feet.

**Oh evil me… Oh well. Next chapter to come soon. After 10 chapters, I'll take a break to write up to 20, then post those as well, provided the reviews coming in are numerous and helpful **

**Also, I've been binge reading a story called "My Girl". I can't remember the author's name to save my life, but it has 3,000 some reviews, and it is quite good. I highly recommend it. Obviously it is NCIS. The plot is Tony has a daughter that is suddenly in his care, and the team supports him.**

**Sound boring? I think not. That's not all this story contains, there is a baby McAbby, and many ups and downs. Oh, Tiva. Sweet, sweet Tiva.**

**Stay with me here on my story. I hope you all are liking it and it is worth your reading and reviewing.  
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**Bye for now…**

**NCISObsession**


	6. Chapter 6

**Wow, I could barely withhold this chapter for 20 minutes, but I managed to keep it till today. I know I left you with a cliffhanger, so here is the next chapter.**

**I'd like to say I'm sorry for the cliffhanger, but I'm not. I guess I just really like them.**

**So… Without further ado-**

**Chapter 6- Bethesda**

The team pulled up outside Bethesda and jumped out of the car, leaving it parked in the fire lane. There was no time to regard parking laws. They rushed inside, flashing their I.D.s at the nurse. She tried to stop them, but they pushed their way through to their destination. "Stop!" She said, trying to maintain a calm and hushed voice. "He's in surgery right now, you'll have to wait.

"How is he?" Abby spoke with a small voice.

She answered, "Not so good, the bullet went clean through his left shoulder. A few inches and it would have struck his heart." A sob escaped her, and Ziva put her arm around her friend to comfort her as she cried. Ziva was trying to stay calm and firm for her team, but she was just as scared as they were. Even Gibbs was beginning to show some worry and emotion.

"If you'd like, I can show you all to a waiting room." The team obliged, seeing as it would be awhile before any news arrived, and they followed the nurse down the hall to a room filled with a few chairs, books, and magazines. Gibbs stayed behind, staring blankly at the door to the emergency room. He could hear frantic voices and urgent demands being said, as well as a steady, but quick beeping sound. A cart with lots of medical equipment came crashing by and through the door to McGee's room.

Back in the waiting room, Abby and Ziva were sitting huddled in a corner, Abby holding tight to Bert the farting Hippo for comfort. Ducky had brought it and a Caf-Pow from NCIS. He had decided to hold out on the autopsy until he had an update on Tim's condition, because he didn't know if he could handle the stress and uncertainty. Abby's Caf-Pow lay untouched on a table, and Ziva offered a handkerchief for Abby to dry her eyes with.

"Ya think we should watch Batman, or Superman?" Tony asked, holding up two DVD's he had found next to the TV. Ziva looked up at him and shot him a sharp glance. "How could you think of a movie at a time like this?" She asked in disbelief.

Tony defended himself, "I need to get my mind off of this, or I'll go crazy. Women cry to make themselves feel better. Well I watch movies." He put in Batman, and sat down at the uncomfortable couch in front of the screen and pressed play. Tony sat silently the whole time, not commenting on the movie once, while Ducky, Ziva, and Abby stayed together. Ducky was whispering words of encouragement to Abby, trying to make her feel better.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Abby asked.

"It's hard to say, my dear." Ducky answered. "He's lost a lot of blood, so it's up to the doctors for now, I'm afraid." Abby buried her face in her hands. "Abigail, the most you can do for him right now is not worry. You mustn't put the stress on yourself. Here, drink your Caf-Pow." She took a sip and felt a little better. At least she stopped crying.

Throughout the night, people from NCIS and McGee's family stopped by sporadically. Vance came by to get an update, which wasn't much, and to offer advice to Abby, since he had been in a similar situation. The nurses came by every so often, giving them bits and pieces of information, which they shared to anyone who came by. Sarah, McGee's sister, came by crying. Abby ran to her and they hugged and cried and hugged some more, trying to find relief in each other. Tim's parents looked worn down and tired from the horrible day they were having, so they paid for a hotel room next to the hospital, and gave Ducky their phone number, in case more information came to them. Palmer stopped by with Breena, but wasn't really sure what to do. He was too shocked and upset to stay there, so he and his wife headed home.

Tony found a bit of peace in sleeping. It got his mind off of his 'brother's' condition, and provided a little escape for him. He lay on the couch, with a sports magazine covering his face so his coworkers couldn't see the streaks of tears that were on his face.

Abby and Ziva prayed much of the time. Ziva prayed in Hebrew, and Abby in English. They were on their knees looking out the window over much of Washington D.C. "God, please keep my Timmy safe. Please, please, please…" Abby cried. Tony woke when he heard Ziva singing softly in Hebrew. Abby smiled, and Ziva kept singing a peaceful song, almost a lullaby, to calm Abby some more.

Throughout the whole endeavor, Gibbs had not moved an inch from his position. He heard Tim's heart rate slow down to a more regular rate, which was a good sign. The hectic atmosphere surrounding the hospital room died down a little, and a few nurses made their way out. "Hey, what happened?" Gibbs asked one, who was about to leave.

"We got him stabilized. He's still in critical condition, but he'll live." The nurse looked exhausted.

"Thank you." She smiled at him as she left.

Gibbs walked into the waiting room and sat down after hours of standing. "He's stable," he announced to his team. It was about 0300, and everyone, if they weren't asleep, looked like they needed to be. Abby cried a little at this amazing, miraculous news. _Thank you God!_ She silently prayed. "Go home, we'll find the guy who did this tomorrow," Gibbs ordered.

"I can start the autopsy now," Ducky offered, to which Gibbs replied with a strict "NO!" He insisted that they needed rest, so the team left with a newfound feeling of relief.

Abby and Gibbs were the only ones who hadn't left. "Aren't you leaving?" Abby asked Gibbs quietly. He shook his head. _Of course he wasn't. He would stay until Tim was conscious._ "You need to leave," Gibbs said to Abby.

"I can't," Gibbs knew how Abby felt. He nodded. "Ask one of the night nurses if they have an open room that you can sleep in. That way you can stay here all night. They're moving Tim to a standard room."

Abby went and asked just like Gibbs told her to. The nurse smiled, and showed Abby to an open room just across the hall from McGee. "We'll make sure to tell you if he wakes up. I'm sure he'd love to see you." Abby nodded and thanked her for the room, and she fell asleep the instant she laid down in the bed, flooded with relief and hope for the next day.

**So. How did I do? Did you cry? Please tell me in a review, it would be helpful. I promise, I don't bite and reviewing only takes about 10 seconds anyway. **

**I will be updating soon. I'm working on chapter 10 as we speak this is officially my longest story, the previous record being 9 chapters.**

**Bye for now!**

**~NCISObsession**


	7. Chapter 7

"Miss Sciuto?" came a kind voice. Abby opened her eyes slowly, and nearly forgot where she was. The events of the day before came back to her, making her realize that her situation was indeed reality, not just a nightmare. She looked at the clock and saw that it was 1:00 in the afternoon, way past when she was used to waking up. "Is McGee-?" Abby began, but the nurse stopped her. "Your friend is awake. He was just asking for you." Abby grinned from ear to ear. This was the most relief she had felt in a long time. She half walked, half skipped across the hallway to McGee, unable to bear waiting any longer.

"Abby," she heard him choke out. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Oh, baby. Look at you. Does it hurt?" She gently touched him on his shoulder, but that was enough to make him wince. "Sorry."

"It's okay," he responded in as much of a voice as he could muster. Abby noticed that the oxygen flowing straight through her boyfriend's nostrils made it nearly impossible for him to talk.

I love you. McGee signed with his good hand. "I didn't know you knew sign language!" Abby said aloud, smiling at Tim. He nodded slowly. I've been learning it just for you. A few tears streamed down Abby's face, and McGee was getting choked up too. Timmy, you're my hero. Abby signed, which made him smile a little.

McGee pressed his nurse call button, and a young woman shuffled her way into his room. He gave her a short nod, and she nodded in return, knowing what he was telling her. She left the room again, only to come back a minute later, hiding something in her hands. She slipped it under Tim's sheets, and he grabbed it with his feeble hands before speaking a quick thank you.

"Come here," McGee instructed Abby, patting the portion of the bed next to him. She sat down, looking him in the eyes, seeing his injuries and his pain, but she also saw a bit of something good. Was it hope, excitement, or happiness? Surely not in a time like now. What could make him feel this way when he has every right to feel sorry for himself? Immediately, Abby knew the answer. It was her, she made him happy, and that meant the world to her. He weakly moved his arm from under the sheet, and enclosed in his palm was a neat little box, which he gave to Abby.

Abby looked at the box in shock, then looked at McGee with tears in her eyes. Abigail Sciuto, will you marry me? Tim asked in sign language.

"Yes! Yes, yes, YES!" She replied, giving him a strong, yet gentle hug. He gasped a little at the pain, but the feeling of love was stronger, and he was happy. He slipped the ring on Abby's finger and she grinned, then leaned in for a kiss, making for an awkward situation for the nurse standing behind them.

"Miss Sciuto, I'm afraid your _fiancé_ needs to rest some more. You can come back and visit a bit later." Abby smiled and thanked her for all that she had done for them. "I need to go into work, but here is my cell number so you can contact me," Abby said, writing down her number on a sticky note and handing it to the nurse.

"Good luck finding your fugitive!" She responded happily, and Abby was out the door.

Abby strode into her lab, setting down her bags, and she turned on her "babies". As if right on cue, Gibbs walked in, holding the mother of all Caf-Pows. At this, Abby's eyes widened, and she gratefully accepted the caffeine. Gibbs turned to stare at the forensic scientist with a half-smile on his face.

"What?" Abby asked, matching his stare. "Aren't you going to tell me 'You shouldn't be here, you should be taking it easy after yesterday, blah blah blah'?" She imitated his gruff voice, to which Gibbs shook his head in amusement.

"No," he said simply, giving her a smile. "You can stay, I need you."

Abby gulped down some of the Caf-Pow, and thanked Gibbs. "I'll call when I've got something." She got right to work, pulling fabric samples and running tests, studying tire tracks and running tests, finding a mysterious powder and running tests, running tests, and more tests. Abby gave credit to her Caf-Pow for her extreme multitasking skills.

A beeping sound resonated through the room, alerting Abby of a visitor. She saw a woman walk in the room, who could only be the witness Gibbs had told her about. The poor middle-aged lady covered her ears to block out some of the heavy metal music that exploded from the CD player. Abby rushed to turn down her music, so she could speak to her now-half-deaf witness.

"Sorry about that," Abby said, slightly embarrassed.

"What's that?" her eardrums were still ringing, and she couldn't hear Abby properly.

"I'm Abby," The scientist said loudly so the woman could here.

"Kathy Williams. Nice to meet you!" She extended her hand and Abby happily shook it.

"I hear you got a pretty good look at the suspect!" The woman nodded. "I hope you haven't forgotten what he looked like."

"How could I forget? It was the scariest moment of my life!" The woman seemed to flash back to the moment it had happened.

"Sit down over here, I think we can make the best sketch ever."

After McGee confirmed that the man the sketch program had drawn up was their guy, Abby ran facial recognition, had Tony put out a BOLO, and Ziva issued a warrant for his arrest. Despite the open-shut façade that the case showed, a trip out to the suspect's house on a farm told them otherwise. All that they saw when they arrived was a smoldering pile of rubble. As ironic as it was, their only lead had been burned to the ground, and the case quickly went ice cold.

McGee was recovering quickly and well. The whole team went to visit him at the hospital after reaching the block in the case.

"Hey Probie, how ya doin?" Tony asked upon entering the room.

"I got shot, Tony," he answered, giving him the 'did-you-really-just-ask-that?' look.

"We are glad you are getting better," Ziva interrupted. Abby smiled and said, "Me too." She had been sitting on the edge of McGee's bed for most of the morning, holding his hand and discussing wedding plans. It would be a grand celebration, taking place at Abby's church. The main colors would be black, Abby's idea. She hoped she could find a black wedding dress, but she wasn't sure how common they were.

Tim then said that if Abby was going to wear a black dress, he would wear a white tuxedo, which Abby had agreed to. They stopped their discussion when their team entered. Tim looked at his fiancé and they silently agreed to see how long it took their friends to notice the ring on Abby's finger.

Gibbs, of course, noticed first. He just raised an eyebrow, wanting to see how long it took Tony to realize. Nothing got by Gibbs. Tony blabbed random stuff as always, too caught up in his own words to see what was right in front of him.

Ziva ruined the whole surprise for Tony, saying, "Oh my goodness!" and seizing Abby's hand. "There is a ring on your finger Abby!" Abby beamed happily at her. "This is wonderful!"

"Way to go, Tim," Tony said, clapping him on the good shoulder and grinning. McGee smiled and nodded in appreciation.

"Are you happy?" Gibbs asked the couple.

"Yes sir," Tim replied and Abby nodded in agreement, wrapping her arms around her fiancé and resting her head on his shoulder. "We are." Gibbs raised his eyebrows and shook his head. "Then I guess there's nothing I can do to stop you." Abby jumped up and down excitedly. She asked Ziva to be the maid of honor, and for Gibbs to walk her down the aisle. Both immediately agreed, and Tony agreed to be Tim's best man.

"So when is the big day?" Ziva asked.

"Well, Abby wanted to get married on Friday the 13th. Don't ask me why."

"It's just sooner than expected, but I can live with that," added Abby. Tony looked at his calendar to find the nearest Friday the 13th. "Oh my gosh, that's March 13!" Abby nodded slowly. "Now you know what we mean by soon."

"I'll be there," Gibbs said. Abby rushed to give him a hug. "Thank you Gibbs."

"Anything for my girl."

**All for now. I got a big surprise in store for chapter 10. Can't wait to post it!**

**See ya!**

**~NCISObsession**


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm actually pretty proud of this chapter. I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: Me no own… Me just having fun…**

**PS: I ran out of season 5 to watch on DVD **** Now I have to go borrow season six!**

Ziva and Tony had just finished watching The Proposal at Ziva's apartment (they alternated who hosted movie nights), and Ziva rested comfortably on Tony's chest, with his arm wrapped gently around her. He loved holding her close like this. It was moments like these when he felt most at peace and happy. Sometimes he'd daydream about his life with Ziva, and quite often, with a few mini DiNozzos.

He was having a similar fantasy at the moment. Little troublemakers were running barefoot around the apartment, chasing each other and giggling uncontrollably. He smiled, imagining the sensation of being a father. He hoped that one day, he would be, as scary as the concept sounded. They both didn't exactly have the best role models. Ziva, however, seemed like she longed to be a mother more than she let on. While undercover as a pregnant woman, she smiled a smile that couldn't be faked. Not to mention her natural fondness and care for children, such as Director Vance's kids when she babysat them.

Ziva turned her head to look up at Tony. "That was a good movie, yes?" Ziva inquired with her chocolate brown eyes gazing up at Tony's green ones.

"Hmm?" Tony said, being shaken from his imagination. "Oh, yeah."

"What is wrong?"

"Nothing." Ziva dropped the subject, but she knew Tony was thinking about something.

"I did not take you for the romantic comedy type, Tony." Ziva teased.

"Well this is one of my favorites." He replied. He could connect to Andrew, the main character. Sometimes he felt like he was being used by Ziva, and just being dragged along for the ride. She was stubborn, strong willed, and not from America, just like Margaret, except Ziva wasn't being deported. And he and Ziva had pretended to be married, just like the characters in the movie. The resemblances were uncanny.

Tony thought about his happy ending. Would it be as happy as the one the characters in the movie enjoyed? McGee had already popped the question to Abby, and Tony found himself considerably more fluent in the language of love than the Elf Lord himself. However, the Probie had beaten him to it, leaving him puzzled, and nursing a slightly damaged ego. Tony decided he had better hurry, lest he risk the longevity of his dream relationship. He couldn't lose it this time, they were perfect for each other, and ruining their relationship would just prove Gibbs' rule 12 was good after all.

Ziva snuggled into Tony a little more, her eyes beginning to feel heavier by the minute. Soon she was snoring loudly in Tony's ear, with a little drop of drool threatening to fall from her mouth. Before Ziva, Tony would have found this incredibly disgusting in a woman, but against all odds, the sight before him was nothing but beautiful. He didn't know how a slobbering, messy haired, bear-snoring woman could make him smile-rather than run for the hills—but it did, and he felt like the luckiest man alive.

Tony shifted slightly, trying not to disturb Ziva's slumber. He managed to get off of the couch, and lift her up into her arms without waking her. Usually, the former-Mossad-Israeli-ninja-chick would have aimed her gun before he'd even left the couch, but the last few days had hit her hard with exhaustion, and she slept peacefully as Tony maneuvered her into her bedroom, and laid her gently on her bed. He pulled the covers up over her, and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.

"Goodnight Sweet Cheeks," he said quietly as he turned out the lights and left Ziva's apartment.

Once in the hall, Tony let out a huge breath. Tonight couldn't have gone better. He leaned against the wall for support while his mind debated on what he should do next. Part of him wanted to propose immediately, but the other part of him wasn't ready, and he doubted Ziva was ready either. It was all happening so fast. Only a few weeks had passed since the revoking of rule 12. The only reason McAbby, as Tony had taken to calling Tim and Abby, were engaged already was because of their previous relationship years ago, and the accident that Tim had been involved in.

After a while of mental back-and-forth, Tony was still undecided. He rubbed at his temples, willing the impending headache to go away. He sank to the floor, frustrated.

"Why are you sitting on the floor, boy?" Asked an old man who had just entered the hall. He was kind looking, with short curly white hair and thin glasses. He had a mustache that resembled the one Gibbs had grown after his memory loss incident, and a cane to aid in his walking.

"I'm just thinking," Tony replied. The man removed his glasses to take a good look at Tony.

"Why are you _thinking_ on the floor?" he rephrased his question.

"It's this girl…" Tony said, gesturing to the door to Ziva's apartment. He didn't know why he was opening up to this stranger, but he felt like he needed to talk, so he did.

"Ah, Ziva," The man nodded knowingly. "Sweet girl, although rumor has it she is ex-Mossad. I'd be careful if I were you."

Tony nodded, "We work together. I'm an NCIS agent."

"HA! And I'm the Pope!" He said, turning away and shuffling back to his apartment.

"What makes you think I don't work for NCIS?"

"You're too pretty. Pretty boys don't like to have their face blown off by a bullet." The old guy said.

Tony flashed his badge, and the man squinted in an attempt to read the lettering. "Well I'll be," he said, holding out his hand, "I'm Marty, I live across the hall." Tony shook his hand.

"Tony DiNozzo."

"Italian!" He said, amused.

Tony smiled. Everyone said this to him upon meeting him. "That's what they say."

"So what seems to be the trouble? Is Ziva in in danger?" Marty questioned.

"No, no. I- I just don't know what to do." Tony explained how he and Ziva had met, everything they had been through, and even Gibbs' rules and how Ziva became his official girlfriend. Marty nodded and listened through the whole story. When it came to an end, the two men sat quietly in the hall for a while.

"Sounds to me this has happened pretty fast," Marty observed.

"It really has, but we've known each other for a long time. It has always felt like she was the one for me, if you know what I mean." Marty nodded and pulled out his wallet.

"This is a picture of my wife, Barbara," he began, pulling out a picture of a smiling old lady with her wrinkly lips placed on the cheek of Marty. They both looked very happy.

"Wow," was all Tony could say. He hoped he and Ziva would grow old together, just like that.

"She died last April. Cancer."

Tony was saddened. "I'm so sorry."

"We had 50 great years together," he said, smiling sadly at the photo. "But it was love at first sight. I knew she was the one for me from the moment I laid eyes on her. We were soulmates."

"That's how I feel about Ziva!" Tony interrupted. Marty patted him on the shoulder.

"Then if that's how you feel, you should propose, as soon as you're ready. What I would do is buy the ring now, keep it with you, and when the moment presents itself, propose. Simple as that." He waited for Tony's reaction to his advice. He was pondering this new solution to his problem, and could not find any reason not to do it. He nodded slowly. "Okay… I like it." Now he had to get the ring. He got up quickly and sprinted down the hall, but having forgot to thank the kind old man for his advice, he turned around and ran back. "Thanks Marty!" He said, shaking his hand quickly, and he ran off again.

"Anytime!" The man called back. "Where are you going?"

Tony's answer came while still running to the elevator and frantically pushing buttons. "To buy a ring!"

**Yay! Chapter 10 and 11 are rapidly approaching! Can't wait!**

**I'll probably put 10 and 11 up within a day of each other, they kind of go together. Then I'll take a short break so I can get ahead on writing.**

**Sincerely, NCISObsession**


	9. Chapter 9

**Why hello there! I am very happy and motivated from reviews and PM's I got last night to post this chapter bright and early in the morning. Well, it's Saturday, so 10:00 seems early. I haven't even left my bed yet!**

**Here you go! Keep reviewing, my heart skips a beat when I get an email telling me I have a review!**

**Chapter 9**

Tony arrived at the jewelry store at 9:00 pm. He was lucky to have found a jewelry store that was still open this time of night, and he threw open the door. A bell jingled as he entered. The sight that met him was very unfamiliar to Tony, a man with extreme commitment issues. He had never really gotten to the point in a relationship when he had had the desire to buy jewelry for a special woman, much less an engagement ring. His first thought was to turn around and run out, but he decided to stay anyway. He searched the area for a clerk to help him out.

"Hello! Welcome to Atara Jewelry! What can I help you with sir?" Asked a man with a thick Middle Eastern accent.

"I'm looking for an engagement ring." Tony said eagerly. He could hardly wait, and he was nearly jumping out of his skin.

"Come," The man beckoned with his finger. "Here are the most beautiful rings we have to offer."

"Great, thanks." Tony browsed for a while.

"And who might this special woman be?" The clerk asked.

"Her name's Ziva. We work together." Tony answered.

The man raised his eyebrows. "Ziva! What a beautiful name. Do you know what it means?"

Tony shook his head, "No."

"It means 'brilliance, radiance'." Tony's attention was focused on finding the perfect ring, but he nodded, just to show he was listening.

"Tell me, is Ziva Jewish?" He asked. Tony replied, "Yes."

"She will want a Jewish ring then, most likely. Come, I will show you." He pulled out a beautiful wooden box and placed it on top of one of the glass showcases. Inside was an assortment of display rings, all of which were beautiful and definite possibilities for Ziva.

"We can have it engraved with her name, in Hebrew, English, or both. The Star of David can easily be added as well. If you desire a diamond or some stone, I can show you some options. Do you think this is something you would like to consider?"

Tony scratched his head, "Absolutely." He looked closely at each ring, finally selecting a gold one, with a small diamond on top, and a name carved on both sides. "This one," he said finally.

"Ah, this is one of my favorites. You know, when you are ready for the actual wedding ring, all you need to do is put this ring inside the other. They fit together like a puzzle."

Tony nodded frantically, "Yes, great. Perfect. I want this one." The man chuckled at his eagerness.

"You do want it engraved, yes?" Tony had almost forgotten.

"Yes please. He followed the man to the paperwork."

"If you would fill this out, it would be a great help to us. Put the special girl's name down, so we know how to spell it. Then put your name in the other blank. It goes on the other side of the ring. As for the payment, you can pay up front, or month by month till it is paid in full."

"I'll pay now," Tony answered while filling out the paperwork.

"Cash or credit?"

"Credit." Tony handed his card over. After swiping it, the clerk handed it back.

"Thanks so much," Tony said as he passed the finished paperwork to the man.

"Splendid! What a lucky girl to have you for a boyfriend!" The man handed the paperwork to another guy in the back room, and instructed him to engrave the ring right away.

"Do I need to come back another day to pick it up?" Tony asked, readying himself to leave.

"Nonsense! We will have it ready in 30 minutes, maximum." He smiled. Tony took a seat and waited.

-.-.-.-.-

After the ring had been engraved in his and Ziva's name, both in Hebrew, Tony left the store with a small bag and a huge smile.

Back in the store, the clerk picked up his phone and dialed a number.

"Hello Director," he spoke in Hebrew. "A young man, DiNozzo, just left the store… Yes, he said it was for Ziva… No he did not specify when… I will… Thank you Director… Shalom."

He hung up. Mossad had been keeping tabs on Ziva for some time. Tony had fallen right in their trap. Whatever Eli David had planned for the couple was unknown to the clerk. He was simply a spy, an accessory, but he knew that the bug he had planted in the ring would do just the trick for whatever the director had in mind.

-.-.-.-.-

The next morning Tony jumped out of bed when his alarm rang. He didn't even know why he was so alert at this time of day, but he figured it had something to do with his latest purchase. Even though he didn't know if today would be the day he proposed, he was ready for when the time did come. After getting ready, he slid the small box into the pocket of his coat, grabbed an umbrella, and headed out on his way to work.

It took all his self-control not to sing and dance in the streets. He allowed his massive grin to remain on his face, even as he stepped off the elevator and into the bullpen.

His grin was smacked off of him by the sight that met him upon entering his cubicle area. Abby sat on Tim's lap, giggling and playing a videogame on the computer with him. Tim was still not cleared for duty, but he had come in to visit this morning, something Gibbs would not be happy about. He'd rather McGee stay home and get better.

"Ugh! Probie Display of Affection!" Tony announced loudly, turning up his nose at this new side of Tim he hadn't seen.

"What's wrong with hanging out with my fiancé?" McGee asked, egging him on.

"Ziva and I can't kiss in the office… not even hug. I think it makes the boss uncomfortable…" Tony rambled on, "he never has been one for showing emotions. He may even be an emotion sensing robot, whose sole purpose is to seek out love and stop it from happening in public. It's a viable theory, you have to admit. I'm pretty sure—" he stopped suddenly, "He's right behind me, isn't he?" McGee nodded and Tony braced for the head slap, which came with no surprise. "DiNozzo, get to work. Abby and McGee; NOT IN THE OFFICE. He slapped Tim on the back of the head, then turned to Abby.

She scrunched up her face, "Go ahead, I can take it. You can Gibbs-Slap me, just like the rest of the team. I'm ready." Gibbs hit her on the back of the head, but he did it very lightly.

"Ouch." Abby said, rubbing her head. "Now I understand. I'm enlightened. Everything seems so clear now…" Abby rambled. To shut her up, Gibbs bent down and kissed her on the head, right where he had Gibbs-Slapped her. Abby smiled wide, pleased with herself, and left for her lab. Tony saw this slap and kiss technique, and decided to try it on the probie. He slapped Tim hard on the head, to which came the response, "OW! TONY!" Then Tony bent down and kissed McGee on the head. Tony devilishly grinned, and Tim looked absolutely disgusted.

"I think I'd rather be headslapped."

**I am about to start on a writing tips forum, which I think will be helpful to anyone. Go check it out!**

**And review please **

**~NCISObsession**


	10. Chapter 10

**I know this is a really short chapter, but I couldn't help but end it like I did.**

**I truly am sorry though, it's gonna make you want to yell at me for stopping.**

**Chapter 10- Surprises**

The team had still been working hard on the case that had critically injured McGee. Abby had finally found a small lead in the rubble of the burned home, after hours of going over evidence in her lab. There was a hair found underneath the busted fridge, and since it was still intact, she was certain she could get a match. At the moment, she was searching every single database using CODIS and had yet to find a match. The search ran late in the night, and Abby had fallen asleep on her desk.

"Abs, wake up," Gibbs said, setting a Caf-Pow down next to the microscope.

"HUH?" Abby woke with a start. Her face was imprinted with keys from the keyboard, due to her rather uncomfortable makeshift pillow, her keyboard.

"Waddaya got?" Gibbs said impatiently. Abby looked up and saw that her search had been successful.

"I got a match!" She said excitedly, holding her hands up in triumph. She clicked on it nervously, to reveal the name that CODIS had come up with.

"Jarrett Abney." Abby reported, and Gibbs was already out the door.

When Gibbs entered the bullpen, he hastily walked to his desk, immediately opening his drawer to pull out his weapon and badge.

Tony began, "Boss, BOLO came back on the car that matched the tracks at the scene, it belongs to—"

"Jarrett Abney," Gibbs finished, leaving the bullpen already. The team rushed to follow him to the elevator.

"Where is he, David?" Gibbs asked.

"The BOLO said he is parked outside of an old warehouse in Falls Church." Gibbs nodded in reply.

"I'll drive," Tony offered.

"No. David, you drive." Gibbs responded.

"Gladly," Ziva smirked as Tony unwillingly tossed her the keys, cringing at the memory of her driving.

On the ride to the scene, Gibbs received a call from the director.

"What was that about?" Tony asked.

"Puppetmaster," Gibbs replied bluntly.

"They've struck again?" he asked. Gibbs only nodded. Puppetmaster was a nickname for a group of criminals that commit crimes all around the world, and manage to escape capture every time. They called it Puppetmaster because it seems like there is one person in charge, with the other people acting out less, and following orders. It had been a thorn in Gibbs' side for nearly 24 years. Lately, however, they hadn't attacked in 2 months.

The rest of the ride was silent. The box was burning a hole in Tony's pocket, and he couldn't stop staring at the back of Ziva's head as she swerved all over the road. He started to feel woozy, from not knowing if he'd survive the ride to pick up their suspect. The smell of Ziva's hair calmed him and made him forget about the danger he was currently in. He leaned forward, earning a very strange look from Gibbs, who caught him trying to sniff Ziva's hair. Tony leaned back in his seat and was quiet for the rest of the drive.

Their car came to a screeching halt in the alley beside the warehouse, and Gibbs, Tony, and Ziva exited the car with their guns drawn. They prowled up to the stolen delivery truck silently. Gibbs jumped in front of the truck, aiming his gun at the man in the front seat.

Jarrett Abney.

He matched his I.D. photo that CODIS had pulled up, but he looked a bit older in person. Jarrett sighed in submission and held up his hands. Gibbs put away his weapon and cuffed their suspect, reading his rights, as required. All he really wanted to do was shoot him in the shoulder, like what he had undoubtedly done to McGee.

Tony pulled open the back door to the truck, to see a scared looking woman in the back. He and Ziva confusedly withdrew their guns. Gibbs came around the back, dragging the suspect along with him. When he turned the corner, he pushed the man roughly to Tony, who took custody of the man. Gibbs peeked into the truck to see what everyone was so confused about.

The woman, who looked to be around 30, stared back with eyes red from crying and begging. Her face was gaunt and pale, malnourished. She held up her hands, but put them down as Gibbs looked at her. Tears filled her eyes.

"Dad?"

**Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. And sorry.**

**I know, a cliffhanger. What's worse, I probably won't update for a while. I want to get ahead a bit, but I think reviews, and lots of them, would motivate me to write every day. Imagine if everyone that read reviewed! Sounds like the perfect world to me!**

**Anyway, thoughts? Who saw that coming? I was going to make a story like this where Gibbs suddenly has a surprise daughter show up, but I decided Gibbs was kind of boring in this story, and needed a bit of a surprise to add to his storyline.**

**Hopefully, I will update soon. **

**~NCISObsession.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Why hello there! Welcome back. My writers block is awfully deadly, and I hardly got ahead at all, but I could not withhold this chapter any longer.**

**Thanks for being patient, I am super excited for you to finally read this.**

**Disclaimer: The true writers are far more consistent with updating the show- Therefore, I do not own NCIS.**

Gibbs entered the back of the truck and began untying the ropes that bound the woman's hands. Without so much as a word, Gibbs and his "daughter" exited the truck and walked over to the car to go back to NCIS. Gibbs decided to drive and the mystery woman sat in the passenger seat. Tony and Ziva sat silently like chastised children in the back, not really sure what to say. They shared astonished looks, but the ride seemed to go on forever, the silence penetrating everyone's minds.

As they entered the squad room, Tony noticed McGee's presence. Today marked the beginning of "desk duty" while he continued to recover. In 3 weeks he was promised to be back to field work, fewer if his physical therapy helped enough. He saw Tony approach him, as he was purposely striding ahead of Gibbs so he could fill McGee in on the current situation.

"Tell me, quick." McGee urged.

"We opened the truck, she was inside. Claims to be Gibbs' daughter." Tony answered quickly, looking over his shoulder anxiously. McGee looked incredulous, his mouth open a little.

"Wow. I forgot how much drama goes on in this office. Do you know if she's telling the truth?"

"Don't know. Could be one of the ex-wives' kids. Still doesn't explain the whole back-of-the-truck thing."

"I've seen weirder cases." McGee commented. "You know, I always thought you would be the one to have a random kid show up." To this, Tony scoffed and smacked McGee who in turn punched him back.

"You two done with your chit-chat?" Gibbs asked, finally arriving with Ziva. The two in question straightened up immediately. "Sorry boss."

"Sit down," Gibbs said impatiently, but there was a different tone to his voice. It wasn't his usual impatient snap. If Tony didn't know any better, he would have said there was a little bit of nervousness behind what he said. Everyone did as they were told. Vance stood undetected up on the catwalk, watching the situation unfold.

Tony timidly held up a hand. Gibbs rolled his eyes, "You got a question, DiNozzo?" He nodded slowly, "Many."

"Fine. I have answers." With a finger, he beckoned for the woman to come join them. As she arrived, Gibbs put his hand on the small of her back, pulling her closer to him.

"Everyone, this is Kelly, my daughter."

He let this sink in for a while, and many more questions found their way into the minds of the team. McGee suddenly got a text from Abby, telling him that she was on her way up. He had sent a message to her alerting her of high drama about to unfold in the bullpen. She couldn't say no to that. Right on cue, the Goth stepped into the squad room, confusedly looking around. She made her way to McGee's desk, asking him what she had missed.

He was too shocked to answer her.

Abby got the gist. She could tell the way Gibbs and the woman—Kelly—looked at each other. She felt a slight pang in her heart when he kissed her on the head, the same way he did with her. She didn't want to be replaced. Gibbs belonged to Abby. He was already her dad, she didn't want that to change.

Although she was sad, she couldn't help but smile at the grin that was on Gibbs' face. She hadn't seen him smile a toothy smile like that in… well, ever. Maybe in a picture that she had seen at his house, one with Kelly and Shannon in it, but otherwise, never. The closest he had come to smiling like that was in the time after he had retired, and he had come back with that freak-of-nature of a mustache. At least he was happy, Abby supposed, that was all that mattered.

Happiness was, however, put on hold, as the case was very much active, not finished yet. Gibbs took the team and Kelly into the conference room, so they could figure out what the heck was going on.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" Tony asked Kelly.

She replied, "Coffee would be great..."

"Of course," Tony murmured. She certainly was Gibbs' daughter. "I suppose you'd want the coffee black too, huh." Kelly was surprised by Tony knowing this. "How did you know?"

"Gibbs—err, your dad. That's all he drinks. Ever."

She laughed. "I should have known I got that from somewhere." Gibbs smiled proudly and reached his hand out for Kelly to hold. Tony set down the girl's coffee, and they knew it was time to get down to business.

"Kelly," Gibbs began, "We need to know what you were doing in that truck. Who put you there? Where were they taking you?" She looked away and bit her lip. Tears filled her eyes.

Ziva stepped in to help out, "I know it is hard, Kelly, but trust me, you will feel better if you tell us. I know, I have been there." Kelly nodded and gulped, ready to tell her story of what she's been doing for the past 24 years.

"I was eight," she began, eyes squeezed shut, trying to remember every detail of that day. "Mom… and I were in the van with the agent, being escorted." She barely choked out the word 'mom'. The memory of witnessing her mother's death still haunted her today. "Pedro shot the driver," she said, flashing back to that moment, and trembling at the memory. "We—we spun out of control, flipping over and over. I think we crashed into a guardrail, I don't remember. I was so scared. I ducked and covered my head and neck, just like you taught me to do." She leaned against Gibbs and breathed in his comforting scent, mostly sawdust and bourbon. She took a deep breath and continued, "Mom… mom's head hit the glass," she cried out, tears beginning to stream fiercely from her eyes. She covered her mouth with her hand, stifling her cries a bit. Gibbs pulled her closer, smoothing her hair with his hand. A single tear escaped from Gibbs' eye. He and Kelly silently sobbed together, Gibbs trying his hardest to keep it together. The thought of his wife, his _precious_ wife, feeling that kind of pain was unbearable to him. All of the wounds that had finally started to heal after 2 decades were agonizingly reopened, for the whole team to see. Ziva, too was getting emotional, although she tried to hide it. Tony and McGee didn't want to watch, as seeing Gibbs this way was upsetting the delicate balance the team had built. Gibbs was their rock, the one to hold it together in times like this. Seeing his emotions for real right now was strange, and they had no idea what to think of it.

"After the crash, Pedro came to make sure we were dead. I was still alive. My legs were broken, and I had a few fractured ribs. I tried to pretend I was dead, so he'd leave us alone, but he knew I was faking it. He—he pulled out his gun… I thought he was gonna shoot me…" Kelly cried again.

"I was so scared, Daddy," Kelly said. Tony found it incredibly weird to hear someone call him that. It seemed he was a teddy bear to some, and a grizzly bear to others.

"He didn't," Gibbs replied. She nodded, "Instead, he picked me up and carried me." Gibbs was sickened at the thought of a murderer laying his hands on his little girl.

"I thought he'd maybe take me to a hospital, but he took me to a house. They fixed my broken bones there, at least. As soon as I was mostly healed, they put me on the black market to be sold to the highest bidder." Ziva's heart broke at this new bit of information.

"Where did they sell you to?" Gibbs asked, hating to say the words 'sell you'."

"They only ever told me his screen name."

"What was that?" McGee asked. They were venturing into his area of expertise.

"It was… Puppetmaster, I think." She said. The team shared looks of worry, and Vance barged in, interrupting the interview. He had clearly been watching on the security camera.

"Gibbs, a word?" He asked. Gibbs squeezed Kelly's hand and followed the director into the hall.

**Ooooh, Kelly's back!**

**Who likes this? More daddy Gibbs to come.**

**Can we get ten reviews for this chapter? Maybe? I'd like to try, I love when you guys review.**

**Quick thank you to all reviewers, especially AthenaMay24 who reviews each chapter, and ncismcabbyfan101 who also very frequently reviews. Keep those coming, I really really really love reading everyone's comments and I look forward to them. Thanks for taking the time to write them.**

**Another side note: I made a forum on writing tips. I am still working on it, but it has a good amount of information on it so far. If you have a question, or something you want me to write about on it, I would be glad to add my thoughts on it. If writing seems hard to you, or you want to improve a bit, I would love for you to check it out, it will help.**

**Thanks for reading. I'll probably update in two days. Hopefully I will find time to write, and I'll get ahead a bit.**

**Bye for now!**

**~NCISObsession**


	12. Chapter 12

Ziva, McGee, Tony, and Kelly were all still in the conference room, and Gibbs and Vance had ventured into the hallway.

"So, Kelly. Do you know all of Gibbs' rules too?" Tony asked, while Gibbs was in the hall.

She looked confused, "Rules?" Tony grinned.

"She doesn't know the rules." Kelly laughed a little.

"What rules?"

"Tell her Zee."

"Tony, that would take 20 minutes." Ziva reminded.

"How many does he have?" Kelly was a little astonished by this last remark.

"We lost count a long time ago," Tony answered.

"Tell me the most important ones then."

"Hmm… let's see…" Tony began.

Ziva started them off. "Never be unreachable."

Then Tony, "Never screw over your partner."

"Always wear gloves at a crime scene."

"Ooh, never mess with a Marine's coffee."

"Ah, yes. That is a good one."

"We can't forget rule 12," Tony added.

"That has been repealed," Ziva countered.

Kelly thought she had missed something, "What's rule 12?"

"Never date a coworker."

"Why did he repeal that one?" Tony and Ziva looked at each other, and Tony reached out for Ziva's hand. He traced patterns on it and she leaned in closer.

"He couldn't keep us apart any longer." Tony smiled wide. He loved telling people about he and Ziva's love for each other.

"And me and Abby!" Tim butted in.

"Sounds like I've got a lot to learn." Kelly said. "Do you happen to have a list of his rules?"

"As a matter of fact, I keep one on me at all times." Tony answered.

"You do?" Ziva asked, both amused and shocked.

"Yes, Zee-vah. You never know when it will come in handy." He reached into his pocket to pull out the piece of paper. As he grabbed the list, his hand brushed past the box he had been carrying. Just the feel of it sent a chill up his spine. He shook off this feeling and handed Kelly the list.

She looked it over for a minute, "There's two rule number ones?" She asked.

"Yeah, and two number threes," McGee answered. She shook her head, laughing at her dad's tight ship he ran. "So, is this the whole team?" She asked them. "I get the feeling you are all very close."

"We are a family," Ziva answered, "and no, this is not everyone. There is still our forensic scientist and McGee's fiancé, Abby. And our M.E. and assistant M.E, Ducky and Jimmy."

"I would love to meet them sometime."

"I'm sure they'd love to meet you. Gibbs doesn't talk about you often." McGee offered.

"Oh," she said, kind of disappointed.

McGee was quick to recover his comment, "He just sort of shuts us out when it comes to his personal life. He never really got over you and your mom."

Kelly was sad to hear of her father's current state. When she had known him, he was always smiling, loving, and fun. It hurt her to hear that her disappearance and her mother's death had sent him into this state of mind.

-.-.-.-

Gibbs and Vance stood in the hall. Gibbs knew he was telling him something, and that he should probably listen, but all he could think of was the woman on the other side of the door.

Vance rambled on about Puppetmaster, all stuff he'd heard before.

One comment drew him out of his thoughts. "I've been after this guy since I became Director, Gibbs."

Gibbs was almost offended by this, "Yeah? I've been after this guy since I joined NCIS in the 90's." Vance removed his toothpick and stared Gibbs in the eye, something most people never dared to do.

"Very well. After this interview is over, you and your team will go home and get some sleep. That's an order. It wouldn't hurt to catch up with your daughter too, Jethro. I can't imaging missing 24 years of Kayla's life. Go be a dad, enjoy it. We'll see you back here in the morning." Gibbs nodded and turned back to the door to head inside. He drew open the door, taking his seat next to Kelly.

"Can you answer a few more questions, Kel?" Gibbs asked, using her old nickname. She nodded, turning serious again. Gibbs signaled for Tony to ask the next question.

"How did you get away?" Tony asked. Gibbs added, "They confirmed your death."

Kelly shook her head. "I don't know how they faked my death. When they took me, I couldn't run. My legs were broken. I told them that my daddy would find me, I was sure of it. They just laughed at me." She spit out, "They told me I was dead to you. No one would ever look for me."

"Where did they take you?" Ziva asked gently.

"To the airport. They had me pose as one of the escorts' daughter's, and we got on a plane to Russia. They took me somewhere, we met in an alley. The man, the Puppetmaster, took me back to his headquarters. I don't know where it is, they had a bag over my head. There were a lot of other kids and women there. We were all forced to carry out crimes that the Puppetmaster requested. He stole things and used the money to pay for our plane tickets to wherever we were sent. Our orders were to do the deed, then leave. If we got caught, we were to take all the blame and not say a word about the operation. Some people were brave enough to say 'Puppetmaster' but he had them killed before they could divulge any other information. They even had us kill each other if the other said anything to anyone. He'd send people to kill people he didn't like, or people that hadn't followed his orders." She paused and looked away. "Dad, I killed someone."

Gibbs' heart broke. His innocent girl was becoming less innocent by the second. "How old?" He asked her.

"I was 12." She responded, face hardening at the memory. She had been sent to kill a middle aged man who refused to follow the Puppetmaster's commands. The poor man had been promised his daughter back, if he did what he was told. Instead, he told the police. The man's daughter had been her best friend while held captive. She couldn't even forgive herself, and her best friend certainly couldn't forgive her.

"What were the conditions like?" Tony asked.

"They fed us poorly. We slept on mats in the compound, but they'd bring everyone a glass of water in the morning. Most of us were malnourished, unless you had fulfilled your duty exceedingly well in his eyes. Many people died there. I don't know where they took the ones that died. Some died of old age, they never got to leave. Even a few babies were born there. He wouldn't let them leave, even for hospital services. I assisted in a couple births before I was assigned to missions outside of the compound. I liked to help bring life into the world much better than taking it away." She finished sadly.

Ziva took notes, not wanting to look at this woman who had been through so much. She had more in common with her than she thought. Her history sounded an awful lot like her own history in Mossad.

Tony looked at Gibbs, "That's all the questions we have, boss."

Gibbs nodded and took his daughter's arm. "Come on, let's get you home."

"Yes," she agreed, "home…"

-.-.-.-

Abby rushed down to Autopsy, since she wasn't allowed in the conference room right now. She was in the middle of a slight panic attack, and needed counseling immediately. Ducky was blindsided by the Goth stampeding into his work realm. The collision nearly knocked the clipboard he was holding to the ground.

"Abigail! You gave me a start." Ducky said, covering his heart and calming down from being surprised like that.

"Sorry, I'm just really worried. Everything's just changing so fast, I don't know what to do. I can't handle it." Abby spoke quickly, hyperventilating.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down dear girl." Ducky pulled her gently to some chairs to sit down. "Breathe, yes, that's good. Now, tell me what happened.

"Gibbs went on a run to pick up a suspect, just like any other old time. Then he… he…"

"What?" The doctor burst out suddenly, thinking Abby was telling him that Jethro had been shot or killed.

"No, no. Not that," Abby was quick to ensure. "Gibbs ran into someone he hadn't seen in a while." Abby started, not quite sure how to tell Ducky what happened.

"Who? Was it one of his ex-wives? Fornell?"

"No, it was Kelly." Ducky looked confused, still thinking Gibbs had gone to Kelly's grave, or seen someone that looked like her. "See?" Abby showed Ducky a picture of Gibbs smiling at Kelly that she had taken in the bullpen.

"Oh my…" The doctor stared at the picture, still wondering why Abby was so upset about this happy situation. "So what's the problem?"

Abby was quiet for a while, "I don't wanna be replaced, Ducky." She swiped the screen to show him the next picture, of Gibbs giving Kelly a kiss on the cheek. Tears started to come down her cheeks.

"You're not being replaced, Abigail. I'm sure he has enough room in his heart for two daughters."

"I already let Ziva in, I don't think I have room for another." Abby pouted.

"You will always be special to Jethro, Abigail, just like Kelly will always be special to him. You are each special in different ways." He paused, letting her absorb this, "I do not see Kelly wearing platform boots or necklaces with studs on them, do you?" Abby looked at the picture, and shook her head. "And that is not Gibbs' blood running through your veins, is it?" He tapped Abby's arm, and she looked down.

"No." She answered quietly.

"But has he loved you any less, just because you are not his daughter by blood?" Abby shook her head again, wiping a tear with the back of her hand.

"What if a new best friend just walked into your life, and you didn't even realize it?" She looked up, suddenly thoughtful and a little less pouty. "That's right, you would be like sisters. I bet you'd like that." Abby nodded, getting more used to the idea of 'Kelly'.

"Are you going to be okay now?" Ducky finished, trying to look into Abby's eyes. When she returned the look, tears welled up in her eyes and she threw her arms around the Doctor, laying her head on his shoulder. He patted her back and whispered words of encouragement to her while she cried.

"Thank you Ducky," she said in a shaky voice, and she grabbed her bags and left, leaving Ducky wondering how Gibbs would handle the situation, and how it was even possible in the first place.


	13. Chapter 13

_I wanted to post this now since I'll be gone all weekend. Thanks so much to everyone who has read and reviewed! This one goes out to you guys._

_-.-.-.-_

Tony and Ziva had started carpooling to and from work. Their cars both worked perfectly fine, but they liked getting to spend a little extra time together. The saving money part was just a bonus.

"I think it will be nice for Gibbs to get to be a dad again," Tony observed.

"Yes, I agree. He has missed it, I am sure." Tony nodded. He felt bad that Gibbs had missed out on a normal family life this whole time.

"I hope it works out well," He said.

"It will," Ziva assured him. They drove on in silence for a while.

"I know what she is going through," Ziva blurted out. She usually wasn't the type to tell about her past, or her emotions. Tony didn't say a word, he knew this was a sensitive subject for Ziva to talk about.

"This was her Somalia, only it lasted for 24 years." After saying this, the conversation was ended. The horror and shock of what happened to Ziva, and now to Kelly left both people speechless.

The car arrived outside of Ziva's house, and Tony followed Ziva out of the car. Together, they walked up to the door to Ziva's apartment. Standing outside, Tony reached inside of his pocket, wrapping his hand around the box.

"I will see you tomorrow, Tony," Ziva said. Tony changed his mind and pulled his hand out of his pocket, running his hand through his hair.

"Yeah. I'll pick you up at 0630?" Focusing only on her, Tony tried to act natural.

"I can pick you up, I do not need to be chauffeured everywhere."

"Okay. 0630." They agreed. Tony reached for his pocket again. Ziva noticed, but wasn't sure what to think of it, so she decided to let it go for now.

"Goodnight Tony."

"I love you so much Ziva." She smiled warmly and placed her hand on his cheek, bringing him in for a kiss. As she entered her apartment, Tony leaned against the wall and sighed.

"Back again?" A familiar old voice asked.

"Hi Marty," Tony responded, not taking his eyes off of the door.

The old man's bushy eyebrows wagged up and down as he talked. "Do you make a habit of staring at doors?"

"Only this one." There was a pause.

"Why don't you come for a visit? I've got coffee brewing." Tony unwillingly pulled himself away from Ziva's door.

"Yeah, I could go for some coffee."

The pair entered Marty's apartment. It showed signs that it once was touched by a lady, but now the elderly man side of it was dominant. Pictures of Marty and his wife were everywhere. They seemed to be the only thing the man kept free of dust. Every other surface was covered in the fuzz. Mismatched furniture adorned the place, with retro fabrics and worn out pillows. Despite the 'oldness' of the place, Tony felt comfortable and at home.

Marty was in the kitchen, filling two mugs with black coffee.

"Do you want sugar or cream?" He asked in his raspy voice.

"Cream please." Tony said politely. He wondered what Ziva would think of him hanging out with her neighbor. He wondered if she even knew he existed. Marty sat down across from him in an old rocking chair, setting the coffee on the end table.

They warily sipped the scalding liquid, till Marty finally broke the silence. "Did you follow my advice?"

"I did," Tony said proudly.

"You did!" The old man said happily, clapping his hands, and his face lighting up like a kid on Christmas. "That's wonderful!"

"I still haven't asked her…" Tony's face fell a little at this.

"You remember what I said. 'When the time presents itself'. You may just have to wait." Tony nodded at this. "Such a lucky girl."

"That's what I've been told, but I still feel like I'm the lucky one."

"That's good. Hold on to that feeling. It's what keeps the relationship going." He cautioned.

Tony took in all of this advice and information. It was all so weird for him. He was used to hanging out with pretty girls or lonely guys at a bar, not sipping coffee with an elderly man, except for Gibbs. He could almost feel the head slap that would have come if he had thought something like that with Gibbs around.

"Thanks, Marty," Tony said, preparing to leave.

Marty waved him off, "Don't mention it. I love having company. It gets lonely around here sometimes."

"No, really. Thanks. It's nice to be able to talk to someone about all of this." Marty patted Tony's hand.

"You're welcome Anthony."

-.-.-.-

"There is someone there with him, Director."

They were in a darkened surveillance room, listening to the feed coming from the ring bug. There was a team assigned to monitoring it 24/7, per director's orders. He had teams standing by in the DC area, in case he decided to put something into action.

"Who?" The Director asked impatiently.

"Sounds like an old man. His father maybe?" Eli nodded to an agent, silently ordering a team to hunt down the father of Anthony DiNozzo.

"Can we track the location of the ring?"

"Yes sir, we could, but it could possibly alert him to our presence." Eli took a moment to consider this.

"Do it." The technology expert nodded and got to work tracking its location, typing and clicking away.

-.-.-.-

Abby and McGee were together at McGee's apartment. Abby was playing one of the many video games, and Tim was working on his newest novel. Dinner together had been amazing. Tim had been surprised to find out his fiancé was an exceptionally good cook, and was still full from stuffing himself. Abby was Tim's caregiver while he recovered, driving him to and from work, and to his doctor's appointments. He didn't mind. The extra time with her was special, and he treasured it, having thought his dreams would never become a reality.

Abby's character blew up, for what had to be the fourth time that night, and she decided to give up. Turning around, Abby watched as her soon-to-be-husband typed away at his typewriter, every so often ripping out a page and shredding it.

"We should work on wedding details," Abby offered after a while. He turned around looking stressed. "What's wrong? Writer's block?" Abby asked.

"Not really. More like I have too much to write about and too little time."

"Oh. We can do wedding stuff later, it's not a hurry—" McGee was quick to stop her.

"No, no. I can spare a little time. I need to take a break anyway." Abby smiled. She knew she could get him to agree. The pair sat down at a table, sipping their favorite drinks while they glared down at the list of things that needed to be done.

"Do you have a dress yet Abs?" McGee asked.

"No. Ziva and I are going shopping on Saturday for one." McGee nodded.

"I still need a tux…" He didn't know what to do next, "When should I get one?" Abby rolled her eyes. Clearly she'd be doing all of the planning and shopping in this relationship.

"You and the rest of the guys can go Saturday too. It should only take 45 minutes tops, to find one and get it fitted. Then you guys can go hang out or something." McGee blushed. _Why hadn't he thought of that?_

"Okay. Next we need a cake…"

"We need two cakes," Abby corrected.

McGee was incredulous, "Two?!"

Abby nodded slowly, "Yes, Timmy. The groom gets a fancy cool cake, and the bride gets a fancy white cake."

"I do! Cool." He was getting really excited. "Can it be chocolate? Can it be in the shape of the map of the Shire? Can it have little Hobbits and wizards on it?" He rambled on and on about the cake he wanted, and Abby smiled, enjoying watching him get excited about their wedding. She'd let him have any cake he wanted if it made him enjoy their special day even more.

_Don't forget to review! I'd better go or I'll be late for school, but I love checking my phone between classes and seeing reviews in my notifications. It will help keep me going throughout the day._

_Bye!_

_~NCISObsession_


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello, and sorry. I have been updating very irregularly lately. Recently though, I was on a school trip to Chicago, so if you saw a group of about 104 string players parading the streets in matching clothes, that was us. We even played at the field museum!**

**Anyway. I am very behind on writing. In fact, I am still writing chapter 15. Oops. I would like to get on a temporary schedule. Very temporary. I will try to do every three days, but at the end of the week, I will be travelling, again, this time to visit family in Iowa. Now, however, it is spring break, and winter has decided to return, so I will be writing hopefully more often.**

**I'll stop now. Here is chapter 14.**

Gibbs and Kelly stopped at Target on their ride home from NCIS to get some new clothes for her. Gibbs seemed so out of place, wandering the women's aisle. He hadn't bought clothes since his wives made him go shopping with them, and even then, the shopping was just for them. Her captives had only given her clothes if she had grown out of her old ones, and she was currently wearing grime covered jeans and a dark shirt.

Meandering the aisles, Gibbs attempted to be helpful, combing through the racks of shirts and dresses. Kelly seemed a bit more efficient in her search, already compiling a handful of outfits. She looked up at her father, who was currently examining a sparkly shirt that said 'Diva' on it. She smiled and rolled her eyes. He sure was struggling. Their excursion brought back memories of their shopping endeavors when she was a kid.

_It was the last time Gibbs ever took his daughter shopping. She was eight, and enthralled with all things Barbie. Her beaming smile brought a feeling of warmth when he triumphantly held up a Barbie themed shirt. She gleefully jumped up and down, telling Gibbs that he had done well using only three words._

"_I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT!"_

_He watched as she emerged from the changing room, trying on the shirt. She posed like a model, walking down an invisible runway, and blowing a kiss to him at the end of the walk, then turning around. He smiled and blew her a kiss._

"_You look great, Kel," Gibbs said, resulting in a mile wide smile from his daughter. After she had changed back into the shirt she came in, she leaped into his arms, hugging him tightly around the neck._

"_Thank you Daddy." He smiled and whispered into her ear, "I love you Kelly."_

"What about this one?" Gibbs asked, still holding the sparkling shirt.

Kelly considered her answer carefully. She knew he still thought of her as an eight year old, explaining his inclination to look for kid clothes. She knew nothing would make him happier than her saying yes and maybe even wearing it. "Sure, Daddy."

He smiled that half smile of his, putting the shirt in the cart. Kelly proceeded to place a dress in as well.

"What's this?" Gibbs asked, holding up the piece of clothing.

"A dress," she teased, "You have seen one before, haven't you?"

"This is a hooker dress," he retorted.

"No it's not. Dad, come on, it's just a dress."

"I have _seen_ a hooker wearing this dress during a case once. You're not buying it." His word was final and Kelly put the dress back on the hanger.

"Okay." She appreciated his protectiveness of her, and-she decided-she really didn't want that dress anyway. She preferred the kind that brought a smile to her father's face. An idea came to her, and she pulled a dress that fit the description perfectly off of the hook, and hid it from Gibbs' sight.

"What's that?" He asked, observing her sneaky behavior.

She smiled tauntingly at him, "A surprise, you'll see." She closed the door behind her and smiled giddily.

After a few minutes, Gibbs leaned forward in his waiting chair, and saw what may have been the most beautiful sight in the world. Kelly came out of the changing room wearing a gorgeous green dress, with sleeves that carried down half of the length of her arms. As she twirled, the skirt flowed around her like a movie star, and she grinned. Sparkles adorned her dress, a feature she was sure her father would love, and a feathery fringe laced the bottom of the skirt. It was grown up enough that she wouldn't be embarrassed to wear it, but it was kiddie enough for Gibbs to approve. He smiled as she emerged, just like old times, walking down the runway and blowing kisses to the invisible audience. Finally, she reached him, and threw herself into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

"I love you Dad." She said.

Gibbs squeezed his eyes shut and hugged her like his life depended on it. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I missed you Kelly," he breathed out.

Their moment ended, and Kelly said, "I think I've got everything." So they went to check out, grabbing a candy bar for Kelly just like she used to convince him to do each time they went shopping.

Kelly drew a shaky breath her old home came into view. Gibbs pulled into the driveway and parked the car, pausing to take Kelly's hand.

"Welcome home Kelly." Tears filled the girl's eyes, and she smiled back.

"I'm glad to have a second chance. Is everything the same?"

"Mostly. A few paint color changes here and there." Gibbs purposely left out the part where he told her that the paint changes were due to one of his ex-wives' demands. Kelly took a deep breath, stepped out of the car, and took a few slow steps toward the front door, Gibbs giving her some space and walking behind. Once she had reached the door, Kelly stopped and stared, unable to move. Finally, she reached out a wary hand and cautiously turned the handle on the door, which swung open with a creak.

Kelly swallowed a lump in her throat, taking in her surroundings. It felt so unfamiliar, like shorts do after a long winter of being bundled up. Despite not being used to the place, she still felt at home.

A floorboard creaked and Kelly turned around to look at her father, who had just stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

"Oh, Daddy," She said with a sniff, hugging him again. Gibbs figured her incessant hugging was as a result of trying to make up for the 24 years without hugs, but then again, so was he. He jumped at any chance to tell her he loved her, and that he missed her.

After they pulled away, they were met with a deadly silence. Kelly wiped her eyes, and looked around.

Gibbs—to break the silence—decided to ask a question. "Do you drink whiskey?"

Kelly laughed, shaking her head. _Just like her mother._ Shannon could never stand whiskey either. Gibbs poured himself a glass and got a glass of water for his daughter.

Sitting down on the couch, the reunited family began to catch up. "I can sleep at a hotel tonight. I wouldn't want to—"

"No."

"No? Didn't think so. So where can I sleep?" Gibbs pointed up the stairs, to the door that opened to Kelly's old room.

"It's still here? It's not a poker room or something?"

"Don't play poker." Gibbs explained.

Kelly excitedly climbed the stairs, Gibbs close behind. She eagerly entered the room. It was a light shade of purple, with a blue ceiling fan and a pink Barbie bedspread. A very thick layer of dust and cobwebs adorned the space, looking awfully eerie and abandoned. In shock, Kelly turned around to see her dad standing in the hallway still, watching her from out there.

"Why don't you come in?" She asked.

"Haven't been in there in 23 years."

"You can come in now." Kelly took his hand and pulled him inside. "It might need a little work, but I think this will be the perfect room for me to stay in. Do you have cleaning supplies?"

"Nope."

"Really? Ok. We can go to the store tomorrow. Till then, I can sleep on the couch."

Gibbs shook his head, "Couch is taken."

"By who?"

"Me." Kelly let this sink in. "Don't you have a bed?"

"Yep. I don't use it."

"What else has changed since I left?"

Gibbs rubbed his face and replied, "Sit down. I'll show you."

**You can expect a new chapter on the 20****th****. Happy St. Patrick 's Day and Happy Spring Break!**

**~NCIS Obsession**


	15. Chapter 15

**Okay, I did enough writing that I feel comfortable posting this now, so that old schedule is completely out the window. I'm done with schedules.**

**I'm afraid all I have for this chapter is more Gibbs and Kelly. I hope that's okay. I too want to get back to some Tiva and McAbby but I seem to have hit a momentary block in their stories. Right now, Gibbs getting caught up with Kelly is more important, but I promise there is MUCH left in store for our couples.**

**Thanks to my reviewers! I thought you should know that each time I get a new review, a feeling that is remarkably similar to fangirling goes through my system. It is quite the phenomenon, and I love it.**

**Disclaimer: Kelly is still alive, I guess that's enough proof that I don't really own NCIS**

Kelly and Gibbs sat down on the couch again, this time with a stack of photo albums laying on the coffee table. Kelly grabbed the first one, and opened it up, unsure of what she was going to find.

First were pictures of her and Shannon's funeral. Someone had brought a camera and insisted on taking at least a few pictures to help Gibbs to never forget them.

Next was a photo of Gibbs and another woman, dancing on a dance floor while wearing a tuxedo and a white dress. The caption said 'Jethro and Diane', and their wedding date. They both looked happy, and she thought that maybe her dad had moved on.

"You remarried!" Gibbs nodded, looking at the photo regretfully. She flipped through the pages of honeymoon pictures and eventually came to a picture of Gibbs drinking at a bar, alone. This one Mike Franks had taken so he could show Gibbs how stupid he looked moping around like he was. It worked.

"What happened to her?" Kelly asked, fearing her father had lost another love.

"Divorced." Kelly frowned and turned the page again, seeing yet another wedding photo. "Jethro and Rebecca". Flipping through the next few pages, Kelly's heart started beating faster. One- Two- Three ex-wives. Each one pushed Gibbs further and further into himself, creating a shell of the man she once knew.

"They all had red hair…" Kelly concluded sadly.

"None of them could replace what I had with you and your mom. I know that now." Kelly clenched her jaw and nodded. Gibbs pulled the book away from her and rubbed her back gently.

"That's enough of the sad stuff. Here." Kelly set the new album in her lap, opening it to page one.

"That one is the day I got my own team." The picture he was pointing to contained a fairly happy looking Gibbs, holding up his newly promoted I.D badge. A few pages later Gibbs was moved to MCRT team leader, taking charge of a group of people she didn't recognize.

"Gibbs pointed to a strange looking woman in another picture. Her jet black hair was in pigtails, offsetting the dark and fierce looking clothes she wore.

"Abby." Gibbs said, seeing the picture Kelly was looking at. "She's our forensic specialist." Kelly nodded, sensing it was more than that. "She helped me recover after you guys were gone."

"_She_ did?" She couldn't imagine her being a very comforting person.

"You'll have to meet her to understand."

Gibbs also showed her a picture of an old ME, wearing a fedora and sitting in a bar with him. "That's Ducky." He said, pointing to the other man.

"Ducky?"

"Donald Mallard."

Kelly thought about this for a while. "Donald… Duck. Mallard is a Duck. I get it! That's pretty clever."

"You'll have to meet him too…"

A few pictures of Gibbs' most recent wife, Stephanie, found their way onto the next pages, but it was evident they were in the middle of another divorce. Amidst the couple's trouble came a new agent, this one Kelly had met. The caption read, "Anthony DiNozzo" and he and Gibbs were shaking hands. Tony's face was adorned with a million watt smile.

"He was a lady chaser back then. Still was till Ziva came. Even a little after that. When I first met him, he worked with Baltimore PD. He chased and tackled me because I was a suspect in a case he was working." A few more pictures came around, but the next notable one was a picture of Gibbs next to President Bush. They too were shaking hands.

"You met the President?!"

"Yep. Worked a case on Air Force 1."

"Whoa." She rubbed her fingers across a picture with a Secret Service Agent, inspecting it. This one had "Kate" scribbled in her father's scratchy writing.

"Who is she, besides Secret Service?"

"She became one of our agents. Special Agent Caitlin Todd. Darn good agent."

"Where was she earlier? I didn't see her in the conference room." Gibbs flipped a few more pages and pointed to a picture of Kate lying in a casket, prayer beads in hand. He flipped back, trying not to make his daughter pity him too much. "She was killed by a terrorist. Died right beside me. Don't worry too much. Ziva wouldn't be with us if Kate still was. It was a horrible thing to happen, but I think the best came of it." Kelly nodded.

A few pages before Kate's funeral pictures, a new young agent, transferred from Norfolk, made his way into the album. Timothy McGee. One of the pictures showed Abby giving him a kiss on the cheek, and he smiled contentedly.

"They've been dating for that long?"

Gibbs chuckled. "No. Abby dropped him after a while."

"Oh. So they just got back together?" Gibbs nodded again, smiling a little.

Next, Kelly flipped ahead to see a few pictures of Ziva, who had just become a long term liaison officer. McGee had taken one picture, intended to blackmail Tony if he had to, and it was of Ziva sitting perched on the edge of Tony's desk, staring deeply into each other's eyes. Such love had always been displayed by the two, but nothing ever came out of it, for the most part. Occasional slips were always a possibility. McGee had spilled it to Gibbs that Tony had told him in confidentiality that he couldn't live without Ziva. It was sweet, but it was also true. Those few months had been death to Tony.

Ziva's citizenship ceremony was also pictured, along with some pictures of Jimmy Palmer's wedding. A few pictures had another red haired woman in them, but Kelly stored that piece of information in the back of her mind for later, if it appeared to be important.

The last picture in this album was of the whole team at a bar, talking and laughing together. The owner of the bar had seen the scene that was taking place; a whole group of people, as close as a family, having a great time at his bar. One copy of this picture had been mounted in a frame on a wall at the bar, for publicity purposes, and the other copy was given to Gibbs. The owner had also congratulated Gibbs on having such a great group of people for his team.

Gibbs and Director Vance were the furthest right in the picture, laughing at some story Gibbs had told about his ex-wife number three. Gibbs seemed to be smiling more than usual, genuinely enjoying himself, much to everyone's surprise.

To the left of Gibbs and Vance was Palmer and Ducky. Ducky was telling yet _another_ story, this time about a time when he was a young twenty-something and he was at a bar with a lovely Swedish girl. Palmer was absolutely fascinated and entertained by the older ME's story.

Abby stood behind McGee, smiling at what was happening before her. She had a drink in one hand, and the other was lingering near McGee's, as if she wanted to hold his hand, but had decided not to.

McGee was being teased by Tony and Ziva, who often teamed up on him. He would let it go that night. He knew that was how Tony showed love, and Ziva would follow whatever he was doing, though she'd hate to admit that.

Ziva's hand rested on Tony's shoulder lovingly. To outsiders, it seemed like a casual, friendly gesture, but to a more trained eye, one could tell that such love was distributed through this gentle touch. It was the closest they could get without raising too many eyebrows.

Gibbs got up and searched through a hall closet, looking for a padlocked box. His flashlight illuminated the small space, and finally, he pulled out a dusty old trunk, and placed it on the floor. Using a key, he unlocked the case, and pulled out another album, this time labeled "Under Cover".

"Had to keep this one locked up for security reasons."

Kelly opened it up, and saw a bunch of pictures of her father wearing various different costumes, ranging from janitor to politician. The red haired woman eventually made another appearance.

"Want something to eat?" Gibbs asked Kelly.

"I don't suppose you still make good steak?"

"I do."

"Can you make that?" Gibbs nodded, got out the necessary supplies, and began to cook steak over the fire.

"Is this another wife?" Kelly asked

"No." He answered quickly. "She was an agent. Later she became Director of NCIS."

"You sure she wasn't more than just an agent?" Kelly asked slyly.

"Yeah." Gibbs lied, swallowing the lump in his throat.

Kelly raised her eyebrows when she came to the next photograph of Jenny and Gibbs kissing at a café in Paris. She decided to keep herself quiet about it for now. He wanted to hide it for a reason.

While the steaks continued to grill, and Kelly was occupied with the album, Gibbs returned to the dusty trunk and pulled out an envelope that was laying at the bottom. Scrawled across the slightly yellowed paper was the words "Dear Jethro," written in Jenny's beautiful handwriting. Gibbs fought back the emotions that kicked at him from the inside, and slid the unopened letter into the pocket of his NIS sweatshirt. This would have to be saved for later. These were the last words Jenny would ever say to him, and he knew he wouldn't be able to keep it together if he read this letter. Better to read it later when Kelly was in bed, so he could let it loose alone, without fear of being seen.

"Oh my gosh! Is that Tony and Ziva?!" Kelly said suddenly, holding up a photo of a couple kissing passionately.

"Uh huh. That mission required them to impersonate two married Canadian assassins. Interesting case, one I was happy to not watch."

"Wow. You guys have been through so much together," she turned a few more pages, "When was Ziva pregnant?" She asked confusedly.

"Never. That was under cover too."

"Oh. That makes more sense."

There was a momentary silence while Kelly finished looking at the albums.

"Steaks are done." Gibbs said finally.

"I'll get the plates and silverware." Kelly offered, running off to find where they were kept, and finding them exactly where they had always been.

Soon the father and daughter sat at the kitchen table, enjoying the delicious steak, just like old times.

After dinner, Gibbs and Kelly trudged up to her bedroom, both feeling extremely full of food, and refreshed from catching up a little after so long. She wore her new pajamas that she had bought at the store earlier. Being back in her room was weird. She hadn't slept in a bed in 24 years. In fact, she wasn't sure she would even be able to sleep in a bed since she wasn't used to it, but she climbed in anyway, letting her father tuck her in like he used to do.

"Goodnight Kel," he said, tousling her hair like always.

"Goodnight Daddy," she replied with a smile. "I love you."

"I love you too sweetheart. Welcome home."

Gibbs closed the door behind him, standing in the hall wondering what to do next. It still hadn't sunk in fully that he was a father again. Gibbs took a deep breath, looked down at his pocket, and slowly pulled out the old envelope. He sighed and stepped down the stairs, each step feeling as if it were taking him another step closer to closure. Eventually he landed in his basement, where he pulled out a sawhorse for a bench. He poured himself a large jar of bourbon and readied himself to open the envelope. Before tearing it open, Gibbs straightened out his reading glasses and turned on the lamp next to him. After all these years, Gibbs finally pulled out the letter that had for so long been hidden from view. He took a sip of bourbon and began reading.

**Before I sign off, I would like to tell you that my next chapter is not Tiva or McAbby either. In fact, it should be fairly emotional, as Gibbs will be reading Jenny's letter. It ended up 1,500 words, so it will take up its own chapter. I hope you will stick with me, I promise, chapter 17 will have some relationship stuff in it. I simply had to write a letter, and it was emotionally draining to write. Can't wait to post it!**

**R&R!**

**~NCIS Obsession**


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